1865.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON RHODOPHYTON, 707 
Thus far his observation appears to be referable to a typical Aley- 
onium, or Lobularia, with sunken cells and completely retractile 
polypes; and I do not see why it may not be A. rubrum of Miiller. 
Mr. Couch, in the third part of the ‘ Cornish Fauna,’ by his late 
son and himself, has described and figured a Coral under the name 
of Aleyonium sanguineum (t.13.f.1). Mr. Couch informs me that 
he regards the one he last sent to me as quite different from the one 
he described. Unfortunately the specimen he described does not 
appear to have been preserved ; so that I cannot examine the type. 
Mr. Couch’s description is copied by Dr. Johnston in his ‘ History 
of British Zoophytes’ (vol. i. p. 178). The generic form seems to 
agree pretty well with the Coral under discussion ; but he specially 
describes the cells as imbedded, and the figure must be that of a 
typical Aleyonium. 
Dr. Johnston, in the work before referred to, considers the Aley- 
onium sanguineum of Couch to be only a synonym or redescription of 
the A. glomeratum of Hassall, and describes it under the latter name, 
giving Hassall’s diagnosis as the specific character ; but I think that 
if any one will compare the description of Couch with the diagnosis 
of Hassall, he will see that they are most probably distinct. 
Couch specially observes, ‘‘ The protuberances in the Aleyonium 
digitatum are generally not very numerous ; do not divide low down, 
but arise from the sides and edges of the larger lobes; are always 
stout, somewhat compressed, and more closely resembling the teat 
of a cow than the human finger.” In 4. sanguineum “the lobes are 
very numerous, and divide nearly as low as the base ; they are elon- 
gated, cylindrical, and very nearly resemble the little finger both in 
shape and size.” This description, in some respects, agrees with 
Rhodophyton couchit. But Mr. Couch particularly says, “ the sur- 
face is rather rough, coriaceous, occupied by numerous spicula; the 
star-shape depressions are numerous, slightly depressed, yellow, 
marked with eight rays; the cells are imbedded ;” which is the de- 
scription of a true Lobularia, and very unlike the tubular cells and 
semiretractile polypes of Rhodophyton. 
I may observe that Milne-Edwards, in the ‘ Coralliaires’ (vol. i. 
p- 118), following Dr. Johnston, regards Alcyoniuin glomeratum and 
A. sanguineum as the same species, adopting the former name; but 
the character of the section to which he refers it, and which he 
gives as the character of the species, is copied from Couch’s descrip- 
tion of 4. sanguineum, and does not in the least fit the description 
or the name which Hassall gives to his species. ‘This shows how 
one mistake leads to many. 
I am inclined to believe that 4. digitatum, A. rubrum, Miller & 
Hassall (= A. glomeratum, Hassall), and A. sanguineum are all good 
species, and quite distinct from Rhodophyton couchii. 
