176 



THE OCEAN WORLD. 



cells. In C. cyathus, Lamarck (Fig. 60), which inhabits the Mediter- 

 ranean, and is common on some parts of the English and Irish coast, 

 the polyps are of a whitish colour, the tentacula streaked with grey. 

 The polypidom is erect and upright, sometimes cylindrical, and 

 generally so firmly attached to the rock as to seem a part of it. The 

 lamellae are of three kinds : one row large and prominent, between 

 every pair of which there are three, sometimes five, smaller ones, the 

 centre one being divided into two portions forming an inner series. 

 The lamellae are slightly arched entire and striated on the sides. 



Fig. 60. — Caryophillia cyathus (Lamarck). 



whence the margin appears somewhat crenulated. " It is found," 

 says Mr. Couch, " of all sizes, from a mere speck to an inch in height. 

 In a very young state, it is sometimes found parasitical on Alcyonimn 

 digitati/m, on shells, and on stalks of sea-weeds ; but as these 

 substances are very perishable, and offer no solid foundation, large 

 specimens are never found on them. In its young state the animal 

 has but little of a calcareous skeleton, and measures about the 

 fifteenth of an inch in diameter and about the thirtieth of an inch in 

 height. In the earliest state in which I have seen the calcareous 

 polypidom, there were four small rays, which were free or uncon- 

 nected doA\Ti to the base ; in others I have noticed six primary rays, 



