646 Haddon and Shackleton — A Revision of the British Actinice. 



above ; unfortunately they had been dried at some time or other, although they 

 were in spirit when we had them, and though we made sections of them we could 

 not make any satisfactory observations. 



In order to facilitate the work of future observers we abstract all the 

 additional information about this species, which is valuable from a descriptive 

 point of view. 



Johnston (1847) defines the genus and species as follows: — " Zoanthus : 

 polypes distant, united by a creeping, root-like, fleshy band. Z. couchii: body 

 cylindrical; tentacula in several circles." In quoting from Couch he adds the 

 following details : — "It is a very small species ... of a light sandy or opaque 

 red colour, and its surface is minutely glandular [this is an error of observation, 

 and probably refers to the grains of quartz]. In its contracted state it is sub - 

 conoidal, resembling both in shape and size a split pea. When semi-expanded it 

 elevates itself to about twice its former height, and becomes contracted about its 

 middle into an hour-glass form. When fully expanded the tentacula becooae 

 distended and elongated to about the length of the transverse diameter of the 

 body ; and they are generally darker at their extremities than towards the base." 



Holdsworth (1858) obtained some specimens from 10-12 fathoms off Torbay. 

 " One group of six polypes on the inside of a valve of Cardium rusticum is 

 arranged in a linear series ; . . . others are scattered over the surface of a flat stone, 

 and have no perceptible connexion with one another, except in a few instances 

 when two or three of them are united. . . . The body forms a cylinder from 2 to 4 

 lines [about 4*5— 9 mm.], by about half that in breadth, and is clothed with a 

 dense coating of fine sand, which at the upper extremity is divided into 14 deeply- 

 cut, marginal teeth ; these cover the top of the column when the animal is closed. 

 The tentacula are moderate in length, slightly tapering, smooth. . . . They are 

 arranged in two rows containing 14 each, of which the inner series are rather the 

 longer, and are placed opposite the angular prolongations of the column, those of 

 the outer row alternating with them. . . . The general colom- of the disc and 

 tentacula is a pale transparent brown, becoming opaque white around the mouth 

 and at the tips of the arms, and all the intermediate parts are finely speckled 

 with the same tint." The following year (1859) he obtained some much larger 

 specimens from Torbay. 



Hincks (1861) says, " Not uncommon: Salcombe Bay [Devonshire], on slate, 

 stone, &c. (in about 12—15 fathoms)." 



The following is a description of an Epizoanthus dredged by one of us in the 

 S. W. of Ireland, and which we refer with some hesitation to this species. If 

 E. ruhricornis should prove to be a different species from E. couchii, om- form will 

 probably be found to be the same as the former, although the tentacles are of a 

 different colour, and the habit of growth is different. 



