Dr. J. E. Gray on some Claviform Pennatulidse. 73 



The head formed of numerous, irregularly dispersed, short-lobed 

 prominences, which are covered at the end with diverging conical 

 prominent polype-cells, — the lobes and cells being strengthened with 

 superficial fusiform spicules, slightly covered with the skin of the. 

 coral ; the polypes entirely retractile. 



The whole substance of the coral is loosely cellular, and the lobes 

 of the head are brittle and easily broken off when in spirits. The 

 base of the stem is furnished with some large tubular fibres, which 

 seem to act as roots to attach it to rocks. 



The spicules on the edge of the polype-cells are rugulose or spi- 

 nulose. 



MORCHELLANA SPINULOSA. (Woodcut, p. 72.) 



Hah. Indian Ocean. 



Notes on some Specimens of Claviform Pennatulid^ 

 (Veretille^) in the Collection of the British 

 Museum. By Dr. John Edward Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., 

 F.L.S., &c. 



Since my paper, entitled " Revision of the Family PennatulidcBy 

 with description of some New Species in the British Museum," 

 was printed in the * Annals and Magazine of Natural History ' 

 for January 1860, we have received several specimens of club-shaped 

 Sea-Pens {Veretillece) which further illustrate the species of this 

 group. 



Professor Milne-Edwards, in the first volume of his * CoralHaires,* 

 published in 1 857, divides the Claviform Pennatulce into three genera, 

 thus — 



1 . Lituaria, with a distinct, well-developed, quadrangular central 

 stony axis. 



2. Veretillum, with a rudimentary hard central axis. 



3. Cavernularia, without any hard central axis, but with four 

 large longitudinal central cells. 



Dr. Herklots, in his *' Monograph of the VennatulidcSy^ in the 

 ' Bijdragen tot die Dierkunde ' for 1858, divides them into four 

 genera, adding the genus Sarcobelemnon to the above list. The 

 species of Lituaria and Sarcobelemnon are found in the Indian and 

 Australian Oceans, and those of Veretillum and Cavernularia are con- 

 fined to the Mediterranean. 



The Veretillece in the British Museum appear to belong to only 

 two genera, viz. — 



1. Veretillum. The club with a short thick base, with four 

 more or less large longitudinal cells in the centre. 



2. Lituaria. The club with an elongated base, and with a strong, 

 subquadrangular, central, more or less stony axis. 



The former group seems to be synonymous with the genera Vere- 

 Ann, ^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. x. 6 



