106 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



Hab. On seaweeds, and stones between tide-marks. 



This little zoophyte is not often met with on the Ayrshire 

 coast, but being minute it may at times escape notice. It 

 creeps along the surface of the object to which it adheres, 

 seldom more than an inch in height, tubular, horny, sub- 

 pellucid, wrinkled, and more or less ringed. The head is 

 of a reddish colour. It can bend its head, or give to any 

 tentaculum a distinct motion and direction, though its 

 motions are slow. I have specimens of it from Mrs. Grif- 

 fiths, Torquay; Miss Cutler, Budleigh Salterton; Mr. Tu- 

 manowicz, Hastings; and Mrs. Gatty, from the Yorkshire 

 coast. 



Small as this creature is, it is one respecting which there 

 is much difference of opinion among naturalists. Four 

 varieties of it are described by Dr. Johnston. 



Genus IV. CORDYLOPHORA, Allman. 



Gen. Char. Polypidom horny, branched, rooted by a creeping 

 tubular fibre, branches tubular. Polypes developed at the ex- 

 tremities of the branches, ovoid, bearing the mouth at the 

 distal extremity, and furnished with scattered filiform tentacula. 

 Allman. The name is from two Greek words, the one signi- 

 fying a water-newt, and the other a burden. 



