192 ALCYONIDIIDjE. 



Yarmouth, 16 fathoms (Kirchenpaucr) : Shetland, 5-8 

 miles east of Balta, 40 50 fathoms, sandy bottom ; 6 miles 

 north of Whalsey Lighthouse, 40 fathoms (A. M. N.) : of 

 occasional occurrence on the north-east coast of Ireland ; 

 Belfast Bay (W. T.) : Youghal (Miss Ball) : &c. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. Ostend (Van Ben.) : 

 Bahusia, at great depths and in 20 fathoms (Loven, 

 Smitt) : Spitzbergen (Swed. Exped.) : Kattegat; North 

 America (Kirchenpauer) : Greenland (Lutken) : White 

 Sea (Mereschkowsky) : Nova Zembla, Matotschkin-scharr, 

 15 fathoms and 40-50 fathoms : Kara Sea (Stuxberg and 

 Theel) : Natal (W. Gates). 



It is difficult to frame a description that can give any 

 idea of the forms assumed by this protean species. In 

 one of its most characteristic states it is cylindrical above 

 the contracted base, with an obtuse extremity, and often 

 of very great length. But frequently this finger-like 

 growth is covered on all sides, and from top to bottom, with 

 short lobate or nodulous processes, giving it a singularly 

 rough and rugged appearance. Nothing can be better 

 than the quaint description of it in this condition which 

 we have from Johnson, the editor of ' Gerarde's Herbal/ 

 who was the first to characterize the species : " It is of a 

 dark yellowish colour," he says, " and buncheth forth 

 on everie side with many unequal tuberosities or knots." 

 It is sometimes more decidedly branched in an irregular 

 straggling fashion. In some states it is compressed or 

 flattened; but the subcylindrical habit is more charac- 

 teristic. 



The polypides are present in enormous numbers, closely 

 packed together in the outer zone of the semipellucid 

 cylindrical stem, the centre of it being occupied by a 

 cellular tissue and fluid. The surface of the zoarium is 



