398 



The coral just described possesses a certain external re- 

 semblance to Cornularia crassa of Milne-EdAvards, in which 

 species, however, the animal is completely retractile within 

 the tubular polyp-cells. The specimens on being taken on 

 board the yacht, though immediately immersed in fresh sea- 

 water, refused to expand their tentacles or to evince any 

 signs of life, and I was consequently unable to investigate 

 its structure as thoroughly as that of the species to be next 

 introduced. 



Fam. LEMNALIAD^, J. E. G^-ay. 

 Gen. nov. Cereopsis. 

 Corallum clavate, attached by a somewhat expanding base. 

 The lower portion of the stem barren, the upper one slightly 

 lobate, bearing scattered semi-retractile polypes. Polyp- 

 cells cylindrical; heads of polypes nearly globular when 

 most contracted. 



C. Bocagei, PI. XXI, figs. 5—13. 



Colour of the general surface of corallum cream-yellow, of 

 the individual polypes bright red. 



Height of the larger specimen of the two taken one inch ; 

 average length of the polyp -cells, independent of the ex- 

 panded tentacles, one tenth of an inch. Spicula interspersed 

 throughout the corallum of three kinds ; those occupying the 

 base of the tentacular region and a portion of the tube closely 

 set, bright transparent red, arcuate or irregular and attenu- 

 ate, fusiform and echinate ; immersed in the substance of the 

 upper portion of the tentacles, minute, scattered, fusiform, 

 irregularly echinate spicula of the same colour ; general 

 coenenchyma crowded with uusymmetrically disposed, colour- 

 less, irregularly tuberculate and echinate spicula, the ma- 

 jority of which are stouter but not so long as the coloured 

 forms occupying the tentacular region. 



Hub. Mouth of the river Sado, near Setubal, Portugal, 

 taken with the dredge at a depth of fifteen fathoms, attached 

 to dead valves of Cardium ciliare. 



The comparatively shallow water in which the examples 

 of this last species were taken enabled me to preserve it for 

 some time in the living condition, and to study successfully 

 the structure and appearances then made manifest. 



The specimen figured was placed in a glass receptacle, 

 with fresh sea-water, immediately upon being discovered 

 among the results of the dredge.^ At first, the polypes were 



' I must here acknowledge my indebtedness to Col. Stuart Wortley, 

 whose success in the management of aquaria almost rivals his brilliant 



