108 NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



hang tufts of the branched forms in abundance, Crisia, 

 Scrupocellaria, etc. 



Fringing nearly every bit of red sea- weed (the Rho- 

 dosperms) that is washed up on the shore are the beautiful 

 little " Snake' s-head Polypi " (Mtea\ and curls of pearly 

 white Crisia ehurnea, the beauty of which can be seen 

 with a pocket lens of even moderate power. 



Over two hundred and fifty species are figured and de- 



Fig. 43. Lepralia foliacea. 1 Natural size 



scribed in Hinck's monograph of the " British Polyzoa," one 

 volume being restricted to plates of the different kinds. 



In one species (at least) there is a very curious arrange- 

 ment. Between the little chambers that contain the 

 animals are processes that look just like miniature vultures' 

 heads, and the curved beaks open and shut constantly, 

 with a snapping movement. The function of these is 

 obscure. 



Darwin, in his " Voyage of the Beagle" mentions seeing 



