82 ANTHOZOA HYDROIDA. 



sina with the cells of S. argentea,* but I have seen several which, 

 from their habit, I would refer to the latter, with the cells and vesi- 

 cles of the former. Such a specimen is figured in Plate xiv. Fig. 4. 

 I can also state that, on the same specimen, I have observed cells that 

 might be considered as belonging to either species ; and with these 

 facts I should, perhaps, have amalgamated the synonymes, had I not 

 been aware that some of our best naturalists for example, Bean 

 and J. V. Thompson are opposed to the junction. " Besides," to 

 adopt the words of Professor Lindley in a somewhat similar dis- 

 cussion, " our daily experience shows us that excessive analysis is far 

 preferable to excessive synthesis, especially for the purposes of stu- 

 dents : the former leads to no other inconvenience than that of 

 increasing the degree of investigation which species must receive to 

 be understood ; the latter has a constant tendency to render investi- 

 gation superficial, and characters confused." Syn. of the British 

 Flora, Pref. p. ix. 



Professor Jameson has inserted SERTULARIA CUPRESSOIDES among 

 those species found in the Frith of Forth, Wern. Mem. i. 564 ; and 

 in the work entitled " Corallina," p. 83, the elegant Australasian 

 S. ELONGATA and S. PECTINATA are said to be found on the English 

 coast. I believe there is some error in all these instances. 



I have repeatedly observed on oyster- shells, and 

 Fig. H. among the roots of corallines, a sessile vesicular 



body filled with milk-white granules, resembling 

 very exactly the oviferous vesicle of a Sertularia. 

 It is rooted, subsessile, roundish, slightly flattened 

 on the sides, smooth, with a short tubulous even 

 aperture. Fig. 14. It has no attachment to any 

 organised body, and is the nidus of some minute 

 Fusus or Purpura. Mr. Peach has found embryo 

 shells in it. 



* It deserves to be remarked, in connection with this point, that the characters of 

 S. argentea given by Lamarck are really those of S. cupressina ; and this has ascribed 

 to it the diagnostics of S. argentea. " I cannot perceive any permanent character by 

 which S. cupressina can at all times be distinguished from S. argentea, although 

 typical specimens of each form bearing these names appear considerably different 

 from each other. Both are found around the Irish coast, and, together with many 

 other zoophytes, constituted the most beautiful collection of these objects I ever 

 beheld, when gracefully depending from, and interlacing the spacious trawl-nets of 

 the Howth fishermen, as they were hung up to dry on the decks of the fishing- 

 smacks. Of the numerous species then, in April 1835, obtained, S. argentea and 

 S. cupressina were the most attractive, from their graceful form and magnitude, some 

 examples attaining to nearly two feet in height." W. Thompson. 



