378 ZOOPHYTES FROM THE CORNISH COAST, 



In Marcli, of the present year, I got another specimen similar- 

 ly attached and find that these hooked spines are constant under 

 such circumstances. 



Feeling great interest in this discovery, I resolved to follow 

 it up, and fortunately turned up from my hoards a specimen 

 of Cauda reptans, collected in Cornwall before 1849 (the 

 year I left) ; it is also attached to a sponge. On examina- 

 tion, it too shows similar hooked spines on the '' tubular 

 root fibres." In the hope of confirming this with a Scotch 

 specimen, I got Cauda reptaus from Newhaven, unfortunately not 

 on a sponge, but on Flustra foUacea, here the hooks are absent, 

 however the tips of the ''root fibres " are furnished with short 

 radiating processes, spread out at right angles to the root fibres, 

 and from these short disc like pieces are inserted into the 

 opening and body of the cell of the Flustra, and thus they have 

 a fia'm grip on this larger fan-shaped and firm Zoophyte, and 

 ride safely in a storm. Here then we have curious instances 

 of things low in the scale, so well accommodating themselves 

 to changed circumstances for their safety and preservation. 



This curious fact I fijid not mentioned in any work I have on 

 British Zoophytes. Busk has figured in the British Museum 

 Catalogue of Marine Polyzoa, part I., p. xxiv, a specimen of 

 &cTupocellaria Macaudrei, from the coast of Spain, and described 

 at p. 24, as having " Eadical tubes hooked." At page 25 of the 

 same work he also describes Scrupocellaria ferox, from Bass's 

 straits, "hooked" like 8. Macaudrei. These are the only instances 

 I know of ; however, they are not British ^\ I cannot let this go, 

 without asking my Cornish friends to help me to work out this 

 curious and interesting discovery, and when so working they wiH 

 no doubt be rewarded with many more equally pleasing revela- 

 tions in this still rich and beautiful field. 



* I am ashamed to say, that since my paper was read, I find that I overlooked 

 the figure of Cauda reptans, p. xxiii, fig. 3, of Couche's Cornish Fauna, part 3, 

 where he had figured "hooked spines," and mentioned at p. 127 "at the joints 

 where they come into contact with the substance on which the polypidum grows, 

 a few slender tendrils arise, with hooks, by which the animal is firmly rooted," 

 and here he stops. The hooks are only useful when inserted in sponges, when on 

 harder substances the hooks cease, and the " tendrils " are held by disks or short 

 arms at the foot of them, as shown in fig. 4 of the plate, illustrating my paper. 

 I hope by this confession to be forgiven this apparent slight to my late friend's 

 accuracy of observation. 



