234 Dr. J. D. F. Gilchrist on 



re-examination was to gain some knowledge of the living 

 animal, and more especially of its eggs and larva?. 



The procuring of specimens by the trawler in the course 

 of its fishing operations was found to be a matter of great 

 uncertainty ; sometimes a week or more would pass without 

 any trace of them, at other times only imperfect samples 

 or fragments were found, and most were much damaged, 

 apparently by being dragged about amongst the fish in the 

 trawl-net. Some good samples were, however, unexpectedly 

 procured, having probably passed into the trawl just before 

 heaving. It was noteworthy that all were large, or pieces of 

 large colonies, and sometimes showed a broad base by which 

 they had obviously been attached to the rocks or substratum 

 on which they grew. It was evident also that in most cases 

 they had been detached for some considerable time before 

 capture, and had lain on the muddy bottom of the sea for a 

 lime, as their base of attachment was abraded and sometimes 

 covered with an incrustation of animal or vegetable growth. 

 This condition was also frequently observed on the branches 

 of one side, which doubtless had been resting on the sea- 

 bottom. Two or three well-developed specimens, with thick 

 branches and short spines, were not only completely devoid 

 of zooids, but were covered with numerous kinds of other 

 animals. In two cases many of the tubes of the zooids were 

 occupied by small anemones, and on the surface small 

 Crustacea, polychsetes, nemerteans, &c., were abundant ; the 

 ccencecium was of a dark dirty colour, in contrast with the clear 

 brown substance of the younger specimens, characterized by 

 their narrower branches and long spines. 



Habitat. 



That the natural habitat of the animals is not the area of 

 mud or mud and sand on which they are captured is indicated 

 by the abraded base and sides of the specimens, and it would, 

 appear that they normally occur on rocky ground closer 

 inshore, those procured by the trawl having been carried by 

 currents, which are often strong in this region, on to the 

 muddy-ground. Fish, including soles, aVe very abundant on 

 this ground, and the same spots are trawled over again and 

 again. On some of these it has been observed that the same 

 course may be •'passed over repeatedly without any trace of 

 Cephalodiscus, when suddenly several specimens may be 

 found, indicating that they have been carried there by 

 currents. It may be possible to find specimens at extreme 

 low tide on this rocky ground, which lies between the mud 



