200 ANTHOZOA HELIANTHOIDA. 



and measures about the fifteenth of an inch in diameter, and about 

 the thirty-second of an inch in height. In the earliest state in 

 which I have seen the calcareous polypidom, there were four small 

 rays, which were free or unconnected down to the base ; in others I 

 have noticed six primary rays, but in every case they were uncon- 

 nected with each other. Other rays soon make their appearance be- 

 tween those first formed ; they are mere calcareous specks at first, 

 but afterwards increase in size. The first union of the rays is ob- 

 served as a small calcareous rim at the base of the polype, which 

 afterwards increases both in height and diameter with the age of the 

 animal." R. Q. Couch. 



My friend Dr. Coldstream has furnished me with the following 

 account of the animal of this interesting zoophyte, which he watched 

 for several successive weeks during his residence at Torquay. 

 " When the soft parts," he writes, " are fully expanded, the appear- 

 ance of the whole animal resembles very closely that of an Actinia. 

 When shrunk they are almost entirely hid amongst the radiating 

 plates. The specimens I have seen have varied in size from three- 

 tenths to one inch in diameter, and from two-tenths to half an inch 

 in height. They are found pendant from large boulders of sandstone 

 just at low water-mark ; sometimes they are dredged from the mid- 

 dle of the bay. Their colour varies considerably ; I have seen the 

 soft parts white, yellowish, orange-brown, reddish, and of a fine 

 apple green. The tentacula are usually paler. During expansion, 

 the soft parts rise above the level of the calcareous disc to about 

 twice its height. The tentacula are pushed forth very slowly, but 

 sometimes are as long as the whole height of the body. They are 

 terminated by a rounded head.* The mouth has the appearance of 

 an elongated slit in the centre of the disc : it is prominent, and the 

 lips are marked with transverse striae of a white colour. When a 

 solid body is brought into contact gently with the tentacles they ad- 

 here pretty strongly to it, just as the Actiniae do ; but when they 

 are rudely touched, they contract very quickly, and if the irritation 

 be continued, the whole soft parts sink within the calcareous cup." 



To render this account of our Caryophyllia more complete, I add the 

 description of the animal taken from specimens which were dredged 

 by Professor E. Forbes and Mr. MacAndrew in eighty fathoms, off 

 Foula, Zetland, adhering to the shell of a dead Pleurotoma. The 

 existence of so vividly coloured an animal at so great a depth is 



* " They are nearly transparent except at the termination, which is a little ball, 

 white and opake." De la Beche. 



