112 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



horny in colour and texture, consisting, as also the stem, 

 of a single tube. The branches are erecto-patent. The 

 branchlets are ringed at their origins. It is rather rare on 

 the west coast of Scotland ; but we got it on one occasion 

 on an irony-like cinder dredged from the deep. 



Ellis, who discovered it on the Kentish shore nearly a 

 hundred years ago, says " Here the curious naturalist 

 may plainly discover a polype branching out like the com- 

 mon fresh-water Hydra, but strongly fortified by nature to 

 support itself in its turbulent situation ; for he will observe 

 that this is defended by a tough horny covering, and fixed 

 by its base to solid bodies in the sea, to secure itself from 

 the infinite number of enemies that every moment sur- 

 round it." 



Sir J. G. Dalyell remarks, that " faint whorls, almost im- 

 perceptible in the living product, indent the origin of the 

 branch and the extremity of the twigs. Chestnut-brown or 

 umber is the predominant colour of the inorganic parts; 

 the hydra is very minute and reddish. The tentacula are 

 susceptible of much elongation, when they become almost 

 of cylindrical form." The nfeck, he adds, is so flexible, 

 that it is susceptible of complete recurvature, or looking 

 behind, as we would say of other animals. He has wit- 



