SERTULARIAD.E : PLUMULARIA. 89 



the branchlets are long ; and the cells are " not separated from 

 each other by one or more small cup-like processes, as are those 

 of Antennularia antennina." The value of these characters has 

 been confirmed by the experience of Mr. John M'Gillivray. " My 

 specimens agree with Mr. Hassall's one in arising from a single 

 trunk which divides into numerous branches, which again sub- 

 divide ; nor in them have I been able to detect any of ' the small 

 tubular cells placed between the larger ones,' which are never absent 

 upon the unbranched polypidom. The absence of these cells, to- 

 gether with the peculiar habit, seem to justify Mr. Hassall in consi- 

 dering his A. ramosa as a good species. At the same time it would 

 appear that there is another (slightly) branched state of A. anten- 

 nina, which is unquestionably a mere accidental variation, being 

 provided with ' the small tubular cells' above alluded to, as I have 

 ascertained by the examination of several specimens." Mrs. Griffiths, 

 an authority always quoted with fond respect, writes to the same 

 purport " Were this and Ant. antennina not distinct, I think we 

 should sometimes see them run a little into each other, which, I 

 believe, is never the case, and the pinnse of the former are much 

 longer." 



I have examined numerous specimens, some of them very much 

 branched, but I have never found one without the intermediate 

 cellules. 



9. PLUMULABIA,* Lamarck. 



CHARACTER. Polypidom plant -like, rooted, simple or 

 branched, the shoots and offsets plumous ; cells small, sessile, 



* Formed from Flumula, the dimin. of Pluma, a feather. I have, in common 

 with most French authors, adopted the generic names of Lamarck, in preference to 

 those of Lamouroux, although aware that the claim of priority is generally allowed to 

 the latter ; but let us hear what Milne-Edwards says : " Pendant que Lamarck 

 preparait le grand ouvrage dont le second volume est consacr aux Polypes, Lamou- 

 roux s'occupait du meme sujet, et fit paraitre a Caen un traite special sur les Poly- 

 piers coralligenes flexibles. D'apres la date de la presentation de son manuscrit a 

 Plnstitut, on pourrait meme lui attribuer 1'anteriorite sur Lamarck, et penser que ce 

 dernier savant, nomine" par 1'Academie des Sciences commissaire pour l'examen du 

 memoire de Lamouroux, avait profile de cette circonstance pour s'approprier les re- 

 sultats obtenus par ce zoologiste. Un auteur recent semble porte a croire que les 

 choses se sont passees de la sorte ; mais les traditions du museum prouvent qu'il 

 n'en est rien, et je me plais a rendre ici toute justice a la conduite de Lamarck. En 

 effet, M. Valenciennes, qui etait alors attach^ a Lamarck en qualit d'aide-naturaliste, 

 m'a assure que depuis long-temps toutes les divisions generiques etablies par ce pro- 

 fesseur dans la classe des Polypiers se trouvaient indiques dans la collection pub- 

 lique du museum, et que pour faciliter le travail de Lamouroux sur le meme sujet, 



