NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 241 
approach so close as to touch each other. The upper 
rows contain five or six cell each, decreasing 12 number 
below. The dorsal ridge is bare, but the polype-cells 
twist once round the axis during their course. The 
curved portion of the stem does not occupy more than a 
tenth part of the whole length, and at that part the fleshy 
base of the cells extends into a web-like expansion. The 
cells are conical, terminating in two unequal points above. 
Their walls contain linear calcareous spicula in bundles 
converging to these points. The polypes also contain 
spicula. 
The osselet, or central bony axis, extending the whole length 
of the polypary, is linear, cylindrical, and very slender ; 
but becomes thicker and fusiform towards the base. It 
terminates above in a fine curved filament. 
In the Norwegian specimens the polypary is 26 inches in 
length, and the curve occupies about a third of the whole, 
whereas in British examples the entire length (in the three 
specimens obtained) is not more than 17 inches, and the curve 
is not more than one-tenth of the whole length. A more strik- 
ing peculiarity consists in the web-like expansion of the poly- 
piferous base in the curved portion; but this may possibly be occa- 
sioned by the contraction of the fleshy part in drying, and as dead 
specimens only have been obtained, these small discrepancies can- 
not be considered sufficient to constitute a specific distinction. 
Professor Sars describes a fine Virgularia 40 inches in length, 
belonging to this section of the genus, in the “ Fauna Littoralis 
Norvegiz,”’ under the name of V. Finmarchia. It was obtained 
by him in Finmark, and approaches very closely in many of its 
characters to V. Christe. These species differ from Virgularia 
mirabilis in containing calcareous spicula. 
OrpER. HELIANTHOIDA, Johnston. 
Famity. ZOANTHIDA. 
21*. ZOANTHUS, Cwwier. 
1. Z. Coucniu, Johns. 
- Johns. Brit. Zooph., p. 202., t. xxxv.; f. 9: 
Couch. Corn. Fauna, 3rd pt., p. 73., t. xv., f. 3. 
