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[From the Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, February 3d, 1873. J 



Remarks on a New Alcyonoid Polyp, from Burrard's Inlet. 



BY ROBERT E. C. STEARNS. 



At a meetiug of the Academy held on the 17th July, 1871 (see Proceedings, 

 Vol. IV, page 180,) in referring to a donation to the Museum, made on the 

 previous 5th of June, of what resembled a bundle " of dried willow switches" 

 from Burrard's Inlet, our fellow member, Dr. Blake, regarded them, as I infer 

 from the brief published abstract of his remarks, as pertaining to a new species 

 of sponge. The exceedingly meagre data in our possession at present, preclude 

 any positive conclusion as to the true position of these apparent " rods or 

 switches of bone," for on referring to our records I see that the specimens were 

 sent " with no information accompanying them, except that they were ' skeletons 

 of some kind of fish ! ' " At the time of the donation, " It was thought by some 

 to be the internal structure of a species of zoophyte, allied to Virgilaria." 



With the specimens alone, and without any knowledge of the fleshy or soft 

 parts, and no particulars as to physiognomy or habit of the organization of which 

 each of these switch-like forms is a part, we can only reason from analogy, and 

 not with satisfactory definiteness. 



It is quite certain that they are not the back-bones, and quite unlikely that 

 they are fin-bones of any species of fish ; as between zoophytes and sponges, to 

 which latter Dr. Blake regards the specimens as allied, I am decidedly of the 

 opinion, after an examination of the limited authorities at my command, that 

 they belong to a species of zoophyte, and are included within some one of the 

 groups of the Order of Alcyonoid Polyps. 



" The solid secretions of these polyps are of two kinds : Either ( 1 ) internal 

 and calcareous; or (2), epidermic, from the base of the polyp. The latter 

 make an axis to the stem. or branch, which is either horny * * * * or 

 calcareous. A few species have no solid secretions. 



All the species are incapable of locomotion on the base ; yet there are some 

 that sometimes occur floating in the open ocean."* 



In the third division of the Alcyonoid Polyps, following Prof. Dana's classi- 

 fication, we have the " Pennatula tribe, or Pexxatulacea. These are compound 

 alcyonoids, that iustead of being attached to rocks, or some firm support, have 

 the base or lower extremity free from polyps and buried in the sand or mud of 

 the sea-bottom, or else live a floating life in the ocean. Their forms are very 

 various."! 



After referring to certain species of the VeretiUiilcc, their structure and 

 beauty, other forms are mentioned belonging to the Pennatula tribe, some of 



* Dana ; Coral and Coral Islands, pp. 80, 81. 

 t Ibid., page 91. 



