126 Mr. P. H. Gosse on new or little-known Marine Animals. 



suggested by the resemblance which the animal bears to the 

 spadix of an Aroideous flower with its surrounding berries. 



Spadix purpurea (mihi). The Purple Spadix. 



Height to |ths of an inch : root short, thick, yellow : ovarian 

 branches numerous, bearing globular white ova : free stem, 

 spindle-shaped, covered with minute purple papillse intermingled 

 with a few white ones. 



This curious form appears to be a zoophyte of the family Cory- 

 nida, or rather its affinities are closer with the members of that 

 family than of any other that I know of. The habit, the club- 

 shaped head, the motions, the manner in which the ova are 

 clustered, their position, and their appearance, all point towards 

 Coryne ; and the papillae may be considered as so many ten- 

 tacles, representing the globe-headed organs of that genus, in- 

 creased in number but reduced in development. 



A semicylindrical thread of a pale yellow tint, about half a 

 line in diameter, creeps along the surface of a stone for about 

 ^th of an inch, when it rises into a free stalk varying in length 

 from ^th to f ths of an inch, being very extensile and con- 

 tractile. A little way above the point of contact with the stone, 

 the stem sends forth on every side a great number of short 

 whitish branches with a dark core, which are again set with a 

 number of short branchlets. These processes bear the ova, 

 which stud their surface to the number of twenty or thirty on 

 each : they are white globules, looking like pearls, and of various 

 sizes, some minute, others comparatively large and conspicuous. 

 The largest are about ^rd of a line in diameter. One that spon- 

 taneously detached itself had a depression at one part of its 

 surface, where probably the point of connexion had been. The 

 upper part or body of the animal is spindle-shaped or clavate, 

 according to the degree of its extension ; it is covered with mi- 

 nute oval papillae, which are crowded so closely that no inter- 

 space is visible. These are for the most part of a reddish 

 purple hue, with the tips deeper in tint, but isolated papillae are 

 scattered all over the body, which are quite white. 



The movements of this animal are vigorous and lively, consi 

 dering its stationary habit. The ovarian branches are frequently 

 jerked about independently of each other ; the free body is ever 

 and anon tossed to and fro in the manner of Coryne; it is 

 lengthened and shortened at will with suddenness and rapidity, 

 and while the beholder is examining it with a lens, he is sur- 

 prised by seeing that there is yet another movement among the 

 papillae, one or two of which, in various parts of the body, are 

 now and then starting up with a jerk fi-orn their fellows into a 

 more erect position, and then lying down again. 



