32 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE CLAVIFORM SEA-PENS. [Feb, 11, 
which are described as characteristic of Cavernularia and Sarcobe- 
lemnon. Can the septa between these cells have been considered as 
the rudimentary axis? 
VERETILLUM. 
The pen club-shaped, with a short, thick, fleshy base ; the upper 
part of the club short and thick, or more or less tapering, covered 
with close longitudinal rows of polypes ; the interspaces between the 
polypes marked with very close, opake; imbedded granules; the 
opening of the polype-cells, when contracted, transverse ; the middle 
of the coral furnished with four quadrangular tubes, and without any 
hard central axis. 
1, VERETILLUM CYNOMORIUM. 
Veretillum cynomorium, Pallas, Spic. Zool. t. 13. f. 1-4. 
We have a single specimen of this species in the British Museum, 
which I believe is the specimen described by Ellis, on the Sea-Pens, 
as Cynomorium (Phil. Trans. 1765, vol. lil. 434, t. 13. f. 3); for 
it has the label on it, written by my late uncle who died in 1806, 
like the label on the specimen of Siren which was presented by 
Ellis. It certainly has no appearance of any hard central axis, un- 
less the rather hard septa between the central cells may be considered 
as an axis; if they are, then the same kind of axis is found in each 
of the other species which I have referred to this genus, 
2. VERETILLUM AUSTRALASIZ. 
Sarcobelemnon australasia, Gray, Ann. and Mag. N. H. v. 1860, 
24, t. 4. f. 1. 
The polypes far apart. 
Hab. Australia; Port Essington (J. B. Jukes, Esq.). 
This specimen chiefly differs from the V’. cantori@ in the substance 
of the coral being harder, and in the cells of the polypes being fur- 
ther apart and more scattered, not appearing to be placed in such 
regular and close longitudinal rows. The specimen seems to have 
been placed in very strong spirits when first collected, as almost all 
the polypes are retracted, and the base of the club is wrinkled, as 
if strongly contracted, and the cavities in the axis are smaller; but 
all this may have been produced by the sudden and great contraction 
of the animal at the time it was preserved. 
3. VERETILLUM CANTORIA. 
Cells of polypes close together, in regular longitudinal series. 
Hab, Penang (Dr. Cantor). 
We have a large series of specimens of this species from Penang, 
where, I am told, they are collected for food. They differ exceed- 
ingly from each other; and if they are all of the same species, as I 
suspect is the case, it shows how difficult it is to give a character 
that shall define the species of the genus. Some are short, thick, 
oblong, rounded at each end, varying from 2} to 3 inches long, with 
