213 
On a New Genus of Autcyonipa#. By KE. Percevan Wricut, 
M.D. Dub., F.R.C.S. Ireland, F.L.8., Professor of Zoology 
in the University of Dublin. 
(Plate IX.) 
Tue western coast of Ireland has always been regarded as 
good collecting ground by the naturalist; and yet, so far as 
its marine fauna is concerned, it may be said to be altogether 
unexplored. This is true, not only of its invertebrate, but 
even of its vertebrate animals; and any young ardent zoo- 
logist will still find plenty of work to do among the western 
Phocide and Fish, and almost a new field in the shell-less 
Molluscs, Annelids, and Celenterata, of Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, 
Clare, and Kerry. At one time, I had hoped to have been 
able to investigate the marine fauna of western Cork and 
Kerry, making Bearhaven and Ventry my headquarters; but 
since my report on this subject to the British Association 
in 1857 professional engagements have prevented me from 
devoting the requisite time to this pursuit. I have, however, 
in the course of this spring, received, by the kindness of W. 
Harte, Hsq., C.E., County Surveyor for the northern district 
of Donegal, several small collections of marine animals from 
Rathmullen, in that county; and as these all for the most 
part bore easily the carriage by night to Dublin, I have been 
able—reviving them with the help of several large aquaria 
—to add some new species to the Irish fauna. With care, 
I have thus received in perfect health such delicate creatures 
as Pectinaria Belgica, Eolis alla and Drummondi, Siphono- 
stoma uncinata, Hydra tuba, and others; but none of them 
more interesting than the little solitary Aleyonarian Actino- 
zoon which it is the object of this paper briefly to describe. 
According to Milne-Edwards’s* arrangement, adopted with- 
out any very material modifications by Greene} and Carust, 
the Alcyonaria are divided into three families—the Alcyonide, 
the Gorgonidz, and Pennatulidee. The first of these contains, 
as sub-families, Cornularine, Telestine, Alecyoninze, and Tubi- 
porine. The Cornularine are distinguished by having the 
polypes either isolated or arranged side by side on a stoloni- 
* ‘Histoire Naturelle des Coralliaires,’ par H. Milne-Edwards. Paris, 
1857. 
t ‘Manual of the Sub-kingdom Ceelenterata,’ by Joseph Reay Greene. 
London, 1861. 
+ ‘Handbuch der Zoologie,’ von Peters Carus and Geestaecker. Leipzig, 
1863 
