1867.] DR- J- E. GRAY ON ZOANTHIN^. 237 



SiDisiA BARLEEi, Gray, p. Z. S. 1858, p. 532, t. 10. f. 6. 



Zoanthus couchii, var., Holdsworth, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 5G0. 

 Zoanthus couchii, var. liber, Gosse, Brit. S. Anera. 297, t. 9. f. 9. 

 Hah. Orkney, Brassey Island {Mr. Bm'lee). 



II. Coral attached ; cells arising from a foliaceous expanded base. 

 3. Epizoanthtjs. 



The base expanded, foliaceous (parasitic on shells); the cells cylin- 

 drical, simple, separate from each other from the base; tentacles 

 numerous. 



Epizoanthus papillosus. 



Sponyia suberea (part.), Johnston, Mag. N. H. vii. 494. f. 60. 



Dysideal papillosa, Johnston, Brit. Sponges, 109. f. 18, t. 16. 

 f. 6, 7; Gray, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 531. 



Zoanthus couchii (part.), Holdsworth, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 557, 

 t. 10. f. 3. 



Zoatithus couchii, var. diffusa, Gosse, Brit.Sea Anem,298,t. 9.f. 10. 



Hab. Coast of England ; Coast of Massachusetts, U. S. B.M. 



Dr. Johnston, though he described this animal as a sponge, very 

 justly observed that it was "nearly alhed to the Alcyonium ocellatum 

 of Solander (Zoophytes, 180, t. 1. f. 6), whatever that may be." 



This species is found entirely covering some shells which are in- 

 habited by Paguri, or Hermit Crabs, on the coast of Massachusetts, 

 in North America. Specimens were collected in forty-fathom water 

 by Capt. Mortimer of the ship 'America,' and by him presented to 

 the British Museum and the Free Museum at Liverpool. 



It appears to envelope more than one species of shell, as the form 

 of some is much more elongated and turreted than others. But 

 the shells are entirely destroyed, probably absorbed by the Hermit 

 Crab to make room for the enlargement of its body ; for when the 

 coral mass is cut through, the cavity, which has all the forms of the 

 whorls of a spiral shell, seems only to be covered with the basis of 

 the coral, strengthened by the sandy particles that are imbedded in it. 



The coral covers the shell with a smooth coat, only leaving the 

 mouth of the shell free for the emission of the crab. This coat is 

 scattered with distinct radiating cylindrical bodies, thickened and 

 rounded near the upper margin ; the apex when expanded is flat, 

 with close radiating white lines, and a central circular aperture. 



One of these bodies is generally placed on the apex of the spire 

 of the shell, and another on the front end of the aperture and the 

 back of the shell ; and the sides of the spire are furnished with from 

 three to eight or nine similar bodies, which diverge from each other. 

 The under surface of the body (that is to say, the part of it that 

 is trailed along the ground as the animal walks) is smooth and free 

 from any of these cylindrical bodies of the Actinia. The bodies 

 differ in length, according to their age and the position they occupy 

 on the surface of the shell, and they always diverge from each other ; 



