REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AXD FISHERIES. [376} 



Iii another variety the deep purple zooids have a circle of flake-white 

 around the branchial orifice, a short white bar or spot beyond it on the 

 outer end, a white spot on the middle between the orifices, and another 

 white spot on the inner end near the anal orifice ; the stolons colored as 

 in the preceding. 



In another common variety (var. licolor) the colors are similar except 

 that the outer half of each zooid is almost entirely covered with flake- 

 white, sometimes tinged with orange, while the proximal half is deep pur 

 ple. Another has the purple zooids spotted and blotched with flake- 

 white over the whole surface; sometimes the specks are so fine and 

 numerous as to give a uniform silvery or frosted appearance, (var. fari- 

 nacea.) 



One peculiar variety (annulata) has a small circle of white around the 

 the branchial opening, surrounded by another large circle of flake-white, 

 which incloses nearly the outer half of the zooid. The variety atrox has 

 the zooids covered to a considerable extent with flake-white, so arranged 

 on each as to present the appearance of a skull ; the two eyes being 

 formed by deep purple spots. 



The variety variegata is pale yellowish olive or orange-brown; the 

 zooids have a white ring around the branchial orifice, inclosed by a brown 

 ring, which is often interrupted ; and the latter is surrounded more or 

 less completely by flake-white, there is usually also a median bar of 

 flake- white j the inner portion is deep purple, more or less mottled with 

 white, and there is a white spot at the inner end. In ihe variety albida 

 nearly the whole upper surface of the zooids is flake-white. 



In another very beautiful and distinct variety (var. steUa] the common 

 tissue is translucent, pale olive, with white-tipped stolons ; the zooids 

 are brown or purple, marked on the upper side with two parallel longi 

 tudinal bars of flake-white, which are separated by a narrow dark line, 

 all of which radiate from the center of the cluster, thus producing the 

 appearance of a many-rayed star, with the rays alternately white and 

 dark j the white bars are sometimes interrupted near the inner ends, 

 and small specks of flake- white are sometimes scattered over the outer 

 end. In this form there are often ten to fifteen zooids in each cluster, 

 and they appear longer and less swollen than in the other varieties, ow 

 ing, perhaps, to the optical effect of the radiating lines. This is the most 

 distinctly marked variety that was observed, and was at first thought to 

 be a distinct species. 



The Radiates are not abundant on muddy shores. The Thyone 

 Briareus (p. 362) is sometimes found on such shores, in sheltered situ 

 ations, among eel-grass. The common star-fish, Aster las arenicola, (p. 326, 

 Plate XXXY, fig. 269,) is often altogether too abundant on muddy shores,, 

 on the oyster-beds, where it commits great havoc. 



The Hydractinia polyclina (p. 328) is often found on the shells occupied 

 by &quot; hermit-crabs. 7 Several species of Obelia grow upon the eel v grass, 

 where the water is sufficiently clear. The Halecium gracile V. (p. 328,) 



