ESCHARID.E : ESCHARA. 351 



larly, and forming sinous cavities ; cells oval or rhwnboidal, 

 the aperture level with the surface or sunk, ovate, with a 

 straight lip. Dillenius. 



PLATE LXVII. 



Eschara retiformis, Rail Syn. 1, 31. Flem. Brit. Anim. 531 Stony foliaceous Coral- 

 line, Ellis Corall. 71, no. 3, pi. 30, fig. a, A, B, C. Borl. Cormv. 239, pi. 24, fig. 

 6 Eschara fascialis, Pall. Blench. 44. Millepora fascialis, Lin. Syst. 1283. 

 Olio. Zool. Adriat. 223. Stew. Elem. ii. 427. Millepora foliacea, Ellis and Soland. 

 Zooph. 133. Cellepora lamellosa, Esper Cellep. p. 146, tab. 6. fig. 1-5. Eschara 

 foliacea, Lam. An. s. Vert, ii, 174 : 2de edit. ii. 266. Blainv. Actinol. 428, pi. 75, 

 fig. 3. Rlilne-Edwards in Ann. des Sc. Nat. vi. 36, pi. 3, fig. 1. Mem. 34, pi. 3, 

 fig. 1. Couch Zooph. Corn. 60 : Corn. Faun. iii. 131. 



Hob. On various parts of the English coast in deep water. 

 " Conchis testisve adnascitur et circa Cockbush in Sussexia ssepe re- 

 peritur," Dillenius. Isle of Wight, Ellis. Cornwall, Borlase. 

 Devonshire, Dr. Coldstream. 



This curious polypidom attains a large size, being often three or 

 four inches high, and from twelve to twenty in its greatest diameter. 

 Mr. Couch has seen a specimen which "measured seven feet four 

 inches in circumference, and a foot and three quarters in depth." It 

 may be described as a broad membrane twisted into winding folds, 

 leaving large sinuosities and cavernous interstices : it is very light 

 and floats in water, crisp when dry, but when living "slightly 

 elastic," membrano-calcareous, cellular, of a yellowish-brown colour, 

 roughish, and punctured with the numerous cells which open on both 

 sides. The membrane is less than a line in thickness, and consists 

 of two layers of cells separated behind from one another by a thin 

 plate down the middle. The cells open obliquely by contracted 

 roundish apertures disposed in a quincunx order on the surface, and 

 which, more especially when recently formed, are often covered by a 

 small operculum. They are liable to some changes of form from 

 age, but are normally of an oval or rhomboidal figure with a round 

 or semi-oval aperture that does not project above the surface. The 

 wall of the cells is wrinkled but not porous. 



"Besides this foliaceous or plaited form, there is another, not 

 noticed by authors ; an encrusting form which resembles the Flustra 

 bullata of Linnaeus. This is found encrusting stones and forming its 

 cells like a Flustra, in large circumscribed patches. The first ap- 

 pearance of its rising into a larnellated form, is the production of 

 detached ridges and papillary eminences, as these become more ele- 

 vated they assume the form described above." Couch. 



