SUBORDER ALCYONARIA. 591 



tillum by Ehrenberg. It is filiform, three inches long, a line wide, 

 five-flowered, with an oblong and slightly bulbous base, and a terete, 

 clavate axis. It comes from the coast of Norway, where it is said to 

 have been found implanted in the mud. 



Veretillum clavatum is the name of a new species described by 

 Leuckart, an account of which has not been seen by the author. 

 (Leuck., Zool. Bruchst, ii. 120.) 



GENUS III. VIRGUL ARIA. LAMARCK. 



PennatulidcE elongate filiformes, pinnulis polypiferis brevibus aut obso- 

 letis ; axe sublapideo. 



Long filiform Pennatulidce, having short or obsolete polypiferous 

 pinnules; axis somewhat stony. 



The Virgularise are near the Pennatulse in general character; but 

 have a slender form, and also very short pinnules, which embrace 

 the stem and often half encircle it in preserved specimens, though 

 spreading when alive. There are also no calcareous spicules in the 

 fleshy portion. The polyps are in a single series along one margin of 

 the pinnules, and have the eight fringed rays of other Alcyonaria. 

 They usually occur with the base buried in the mud, and have been 

 found both in the tropics and in the seas of Norway. 



This genus was instituted by Lamarck, and named from the Latin 

 virgula, a little rod, in allusion to the form of the species. 



1. VIRGULARIA MIRABILIS. (Miitter.} Lamarck. 



V. fliformis, 0-12" longa, pinnulis obliquis, arcuatis, laxis, 

 alternis ; axe cakareo, albido, terete, fragih. 



Filiform, 6 to 12 inches long; pinnules oblique, arcuate, lax, mostly 

 alternate ; axis calcareous, white, terete, fragile. 



Seas of Norway and Britain. 



