TUBULIPORA. 275 



old bivalve shells. It is even prettier than the preceding, and 

 so like the Prince of Wales' feather, that you are disposed 

 to write " Ich dien" underneath. It is described also as 

 fan-shaped, adherent by a thin plate, and only about the 

 third of an inch in diameter. Mr. W. Thompson, who has 

 met with it in Ireland and England, describes it as fol- 

 lows : " It forms a beautiful incrustation, which takes the 

 figure of a feather, or of several feathers combined, and is 

 of a dull opake white colour, except at the margin, where 

 the tubes are somewhat transparent and delicately tinged 

 with pale lilac. The tubes are transversely wrinkled or 

 ridged, an appearance which increases more than in a re- 

 gular ratio as the species approaches a perfect state; the 

 space between the tubes is likewise rugose." 



8. TUBULIPOEA SERPENS, Ellis. 



Hab. On all places of the coast ; adhering to seaweeds, 

 corallines, shells, and often in the inside of old shells. 

 The first specimen to which my attention was ever directed, 

 was sent to me, from Portpatrick, many years ago by my 

 friend the Rev. Andrew Urquhart. 



It adheres by a narrow base; the polype-tubes are in 

 transverse rows, divided by a longitudinal groove ; the cells 

 are in general placed close to each other, minutely frosted, 



