174 Objects for the Microscope. 



spines, and having a metallic glow over all the pure white 

 fabric. 



The observation of a few specimens will lead to a large 

 collection ; not a speck upon sea-weed, stone, or shell, should 

 be overlooked, and for a pleasant, easy guide, take * Dr. 

 Landesborough on Zoophytes.' 



ALECTO GRANULATE. 



This is foupd creeping on stones and shells and weed 

 dredged from the deep ; cells tubular and creeping, four or 

 five abreast, with long spines, and granulated texture and 

 erect circular aperture. Alecto major has no granular 

 markings. This zoophyte, amongst others, is sold by 

 Baker, and a collection would be found most useful pre- 

 paratory to further researches at the sea-side. 



GEMMELLARIA LORICULATA. 



This Gemmellaria loricnlata is an example of the branched, 

 half-horny, half-calcareous polyzoary ; it is a splendid 

 object with polarized light, if mounted in balsam, the 

 cells pale pink, with a framework of carbonate of lime, 

 giving a fine orange tint. 



We find Gemmellaria abundantly on the south-western 

 coast, or thrown up on the beach, after a gale, in bunches, 

 easily distinguished by the position of the cells back to 

 back in pairs. 



GEMECELARIA, OR NOTOMIA BTJRSARIA, 



a rare but lovely zoophyte, always to be looked at as 

 opaque, and the singular appendages to its lid observed. 

 The triangular cells are in pairs, each capped by an organ 

 resembling a tobacco-pipe, or, some say, a bird's head. It 

 is also called the Shepherd's Purse Coralline, from its 

 resemblance to the seed-capsules of that plant. We only 

 find it in very small tufts, parasitic'on other zoophytes ; but, 

 minute as it is, the tiny creature has the same highly 

 organized body as the rest of the Polyzoa. 



CELLULARIA AVICULARIA 



is the true Bird's-head Coralline found on stones in deep 

 water or at very low tides, growing in spiral fan-like tufts 

 about an inch high. This is a calcareous polyzoary : the 



