320 HISTOEY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



we may call an improved variety of that little gem, L. 

 nitida. It was discovered by Mr. Busk on oyster-shells 

 from the south of England, and on shells from the Thames, 

 sent to him by Lieutenant Thomas. It was also detected 

 by Mrs. Gatty on oyster-shells sent to her from the south 

 of England; and on her specimens some of its distinguish- 

 ing characteristics were first observed. After strict and de- 

 liberate examination, it has been found to be quite entitled 

 to rank as a distinct species, to which the very appropriate 

 name, melolontha, has been assigned, because it has a tail 

 turned up very like a cockchafer's. It has a hyaline crust, 

 and two turned-up horns on the under lip. I have it from 

 Mrs. Gatty, to whose felicitous pencil I am indebted for all 

 the figures of the Lepralies, Plate XVIII., except fig. 71, 

 an exquisite representation of L. Gattya, by Dr. Greville, of 

 Edinburgh. The following description of L. melolontJia I 

 owe to the kindness of Mrs. Gatty. 



"This is the variety of L. nitida mentioned by Dr. 

 Johnston as ' branched in a fine dendritic manner, like 

 Alecto dilatans' It differs from L. nitida in the cells being 

 immersed in a delicate transparent crust ; so that, in some 

 cases, there is a considerable intervening space between 

 each cell. A still more remarkable feature, and the one 



