364 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



Genus XX. ALCYONIDIUM, Lamouroux. 



1. ALCYONIDIUM GELATINOSUM, Sea Ragged-staff, T. 

 Johnson. 



I never fell in with this except on Leith shore, where it 

 is of frequent occurrence ; but as it is rather ungainsome, as 

 we say in Scotland, I shall be satisfied with giving what is 

 said of it by Thomas Johnson, by whom it was first de- 

 scribed. " This is a very succulent and fungous plant, of 

 the thicknesse of one's thumbe; it is of a dark yellowish 

 colour, and buncheth forth on everie side with many un- 

 equal tuberosities or knots ; whereupon Mr. Thomas Hickes, 

 being in our company, did fitly name it Sea Ragged-staffe." 



2. ALCYONIDIUM HIRSUTUM, Dr. Fleming. 

 Hab. On seaweeds and Mustra at low-water. 



This is of a more compact substance than A. gelatinomm, 

 and though, like it, it has not much external beauty to 

 catch the eye, by reading what is said of it by Dr. Johnston 

 we may see that it will fully repay minute investigation. 

 Having mentioned that it is marked with numerous yel- 

 lowish circular spots, which are found to be clusters of ova, 

 he adds, " The egg is clothed with cilia of equal size and 

 shape, and all inclined in one direction, moving with a 



