114 SAGAETIADiE. 



Varieties. 



Though subject to considerable diversity in colouring, I am scarcely- 

 able to select any pattern sufficiently distinct, or sufficiently stable to 

 warrant its registration as a named variety. I have above defined the 

 limits within which, so far as my experience goes, the divergence extends ; 

 it seems mainly to consist in the relative proportions and arrangements of 

 the dark and light bands of the columns. One mentioned to me by Dr. 

 Hilton, of Guernsey, as having been found by him at Herm, seems more 

 worthy than any other of being considered as a distinct variety. It "had a 

 very light coloured body, and was beautifully marked with lilac spots." 

 Perhaps I may venture to call it Amethystina. I have seen a specimen at 

 Torquay, in which the stripes of the column were dark crimson. 



The keen eye and scientific zeal of old Ellis failed to 

 discover this species, notwithstanding its large size and 

 commanding appearance. Common as it is in some locali- 

 ties, it seems, however, to be quite unknown along the 

 eastern coasts of great Britain and Ireland, whence Ellis's 

 zoophytic treasures were principally gathered. It was left 

 for Mr. R. Q. Couch, of Penzance, to indicate it as a British 

 species, though it had long been known in the Adriatic 

 and Mediterranean seas.* 



I have found it exceedingly abundant in Weymouth 

 Bay, — extending from the deep water of the offing even 

 into the narrow harbour, — but have never heard of its 

 being found within tide-marks, except in the instance of 

 the var. amethystina, above mentioned, which was found 

 attached to a stone at low-water mark. It is, as its name 

 imports, normally parasitic in its habits ; though not so 

 strictly but that we frequently dredge specimens adhering 

 to stones ; and in captivity it is by no means uncommon 

 for an individual to detach itself from its native site and 

 adhere to the bottom of the vessel, or even to crawl up the 

 perpendicular side. Generally, however, it is found seated 



* With Dr. Johnston I utterly and indignantly reject Linnaeus' s specific 

 names in the Actinoida, and with reluctance even cite them. 



