ZOOPHYTES. 41 



fined, so far as our seas are concerned, to the east coast of 

 Scotland and the north-east of England; and Thuiaria thuja, 

 found on the east coast, is rare in Devon and Cornwall ; whilst 

 the species of Aglaopheuia are plentiful on our south-west and 

 north-west coasts, and rarely seen on the north-east. 



Although some species are distinctly deep-water forms, 

 necessitating the dredge for their capture, the vast majority 

 inhabit the littoral and laminarian zones. Among the littoral 

 species are many of the rarer forms, and some of these arc 

 found only on special species of seaweeds, or on the shells of 

 particular mollusks. Mr. Hincks, whose beautiful work on the 

 " Hydroid Zoophytes " you must see, gives some very good 

 advice as to collecting in the littoral zone. He recommends 

 my own favourite plan of lying flat beside the rock-pool, and 

 bringing the eye close to the water. "He should bring his 

 eye to the edge of the pool, and look down the side, so as to 

 catch the outline of any zoophytes that may be attached to it 

 amidst the tufts of minute Algce. He must not be content 

 with a hasty glance, but look and look again until his eye is 

 familiar with the scene, and may accurately discriminate its 

 various elements. And let him watch for the shadows; for in 

 following them he will often secure the reality. I have fre- 

 quently detected the tiny Campanulari<z and Phimularife in 

 this way, by means of the images of their frail forms which 

 the light had sketched on the rock beneath them. For tools, 

 the hunter must have his stout, flat, sharp-edged, collecting 

 knife, a long-armed and substantial forceps, and a varied array 

 of bottles, ranging from the homoeopathic tube to the pickle- 

 jar. If his choice of ground be good, and his patience proof, 

 and his eye quick, he will have an ample reward for his labour 

 in the rich spoil of beauty which he will bear away, even if he 

 should not hit upon any novelty ; but amongst the minute 

 zoophytes there is still, I have no doubt, much to be done in 

 the discovery of new forms, as there certainly is in working 

 out thoroughly the history of those that are known." 



