632 



ZOOPHYTES. 



1. TELESTO AURANTIACA. Lamouroux. 

 T. parce ramosa, aurantiaca ; 1-1 " alta, extus striata. 



Sparingly ramose, orange-coloured ; 1 to H inches high, exterior 

 striate. 



-, Blainv., Man., 498, pi. 82, fig. 3. 

 -, Deslongchamps, Encyc., 710. 



Australia. 



Telesta aurantiaca, Lamour., Pol. (lex., 234, 

 pi. 7, fig. 6; Exp. Meth., 18, tat. 68, 

 fig. 8. 



NOTE. Lamouroux also describes, under this genus, the following species: 



T.lutea. Lax ramose, diffuse, scarcely striate; colour bright gold yellow. From 

 Australasia. (Pol. flex., 234 ; Deslongchamps, Encyc., 710 ; Blainv., Man., 498.) 



T.pelagica. Colour green. Atlantic Ocean, on floating Fucus, (Bosc. Vers., iii. pi. 

 30, figs. 6-7 ; Lamouroux, Pol. flex., 235, and Exp. Meth., 18; Deslongchamps, Encyc., 

 710; Blainville, Man., 498 ; Synoicum pelasgiciim, Lamarck.) 



Blainville names another species from the Indian Ocean ; T. alburnum (Man., 49*). 



2. TELESTO FRUTICULOSA. (Dana.} 



T. fruticulosa, 3-4" alta; pohjpis aurantiacis ; ramulis numerosis, 

 pluribus brevibus (2-4'"), '" fatis, cylindricis. 



Fruticulose, 3 to 4 inches high ; polyps orange ; branchlets numerous, 

 many short (2 to 4 lines), of a line in diameter, cylindrical. 



Charleston, South Carolina. Prof. C. U. Shepard. 



This singular species is incrusted throughout with a sponge of close 

 texture, increasing much the thickness and strength of its branches, 

 and it is by this means, apparently, that it grows to so large a size ; for 

 the tubes are small, and quite tender. The contracted polyps show the 

 tips of eight orange tentacles within the extremity of each branchlet. 

 They appear as if they were the true animals of the sponge : but it is 

 apparent that the latter is of extraneous growth, from its often length- 

 ening out a branch beyond the tube of the polyp within, and also from 

 its being separated without much difficulty ; it contains very minute, 

 slender spicula, besides others which consist of bent fibres, pointing 

 in every direction. 



