178 ANTHOZOA IIYDROIDA. 



The LOBULARIA GRANDIFLORA of Chamisso, (Ehrenb. Corall. 57.) 

 found in the English Channel, appears to me to be the same as Al. 

 digitatum. 



2. A. GLOMERATUM, " polypidom massive, of no very defined 

 outline , colour a deep uniform red, the shade of which ap- 

 proaches to vermilion" A. H. Hassall. 



Alcyonidium rubram, Hassall in Ann. Nat. Hist. vii. 285. Alcyonidium glomeratum, 

 Hassall in Ann. Nat. Hist. xi. 112. Alcyonium sanguineum, Couch Corn. Faun. 

 iii. 60, pi. 13, fig. 1. 



Hob. Dublin Bay, Hassall. Coast of Cornwall, Couch. 



" Of this species I have procured only a single specimen, and that 

 not far from land : in general appearance it resembles the last species, 

 the Alcyonium digitatum, but differs from it in several important 

 particulars. Its surface is rather rough, coriaceous, and occupied by 

 numerous spicula. The star-shaped depressions, which are numer- 

 ous, are slightly depressed, yellow, and marked with eight rays. The 

 cells, which are imbedded, are inversely conical and terminate in- 

 feriorly in long canals, which pass irregularly through the fleshy 

 polype-mass, and opening into each other in all directions, give the 

 substance the appearance of irregular net-work, the meshes of which 

 are filled up with minute tubes, a gelatinous substance, and spicula. 

 Thus the internal anatomy resembles that of the Al. digitatum, but 

 is smaller and more delicate. The colour externally is of a deep 

 blood colour, and internally is but slightly lighter. The lobes differ 

 very considerably from those of the Al. digitatum ; but as a speci- 

 men of that species was procured from the same locality, and at the 

 same time, a comparison may be instituted between them. The pro- 

 tuberances in the Al. digitatum are, generally, not very numerous, do 

 not divide low down, but arise from the sides and edges of the larger 

 lobes, are always stout, somewhat compressed, and more closely re- 

 sembling the teat of a cow than the human finger. In the present 

 case, the lobes are very numerous, and divide nearly as low down as 

 the base ; they are elongated, cylindrical, and very nearly resemble 

 the little finger both in shape and size. As the specimen was very 

 nearly dead when I first saw it, the polypes can of course be but 

 very imperfectly described. They seemed very similar in shape to 

 those of the Al. digitatum, but were smaller and semi-opake ; the 

 tentacula were eight, fringed, and of a pinkish tinge, with a red 

 band beneath encircling them ; the various orifices could not be ob- 

 served. The spicula are numerous and irregularly arranged ; they 



