156 ZOOPHYTOLOGY. 



2. F. Binderi. Harvey ? PI. XXXV, figs. 2 and 2«. 



Tolyzoario irregulariler ramoso ; ramis compressis, lic/ulatis, spiiiis sparsii, 

 armaiis ; cellulis iurgidis, membranaceis. 



Pol}zoaiium irregularly branched ; branches flattened, ligulate, furnished 

 with scattered, horny, aculeate spines; ceils bulging, wholly membranaceous. 



Hab. — Sidney, Harvey ? 



F. Binderi appears to attain a large sizCj spreading four or 

 five inches in all directions, very irregularly branched, and of a 

 deep-olive colour. The cells themselves closely resemble those 

 of i'^. dichotoma, hnt the size, habit, and compression of the poly- 

 zoarium, whose branches are sometimes more than one-eighth 

 of an inch wide, amply serve to distinguish the two at a glance. 



The extraordinary resemblance to Fuci born by both these 

 species is so very remarkable, especially in the case of F. 

 Binderi, that by the imaided eye it would be almost impossible 

 even to guess that they belonged to the animal kingdom. 

 They appear, of all the Cheilostomata, to be those in which the 

 tissue of the polyzoary contains the least amount of calcareous 

 matter. 



We have been long acquainted with Farciminaria dichotoma, 

 though not aware till very recently that it had been anywhere 

 described. Our knowledge of this fact and of the reference 

 to V. Suhr's notice of it in the Ratisbon ' Flora,^ as well as of 

 the existence of the second species, we owe to the kindness of 

 Senator Kirchenpauer, of Riitzibiittel, who, among many other 

 interesting species of Sertulariidse and Polyzoa which he was 

 good enough to send to us, included fine specimens of the 

 two Farciminarise now described. We have appended Dr. 

 Harvey's name to F. Binderi on M. Kirchenpauer's authority, 

 but are unable at present to cite the work in which that 

 learned algologist has adverted to it. 



It seems doubtful whether these two species should be re- 

 ferred to our genus Farcinwiaria, but we have thought it 

 better provisionally at any rate to place them in it. Should 

 it be thought advisable to separate them from F. aculeata,. 

 there appears to be no reason against the adoption of \. 

 Suhr's name of Verriicularia, notwithstanding his having 

 placed the genus among the Fuci. 



