4i 



386 Mr. Webster on some new Varieties of Fossil Alcyonia, 



In the fossils of this genus yet noticed, the pedicle sor stalks have 

 been very short ; and although numerous fragments of these have 

 been found, it was not certain that they belonged to the heads, the 

 portions of stalk attached generally not exceeding an inch or two ; 

 whereas in those which are the subject of the present paper, we see 

 stems of considerable length, frequently extending four or five feet. 

 All the fossil alcycnic heads which have been described as approach- 

 ing to a globular form, are characterised by a considerable opening in 

 the end ; but the species we have been considering has no such struc- 

 ture. From the circumstance of the heads appearing in shape much 

 like the closed buds of the tulip, and from their being attached to 

 long smooth stalks, perhaps the name T^iiltp Alcyonium may not 

 be improperly applied to this species. 



In the stratum containing the white radiated circles, and fre- 

 quently in the same block with them, I noticed another species of 

 cylindrical and tubular organic body, somewhat resembling them, 

 but differing essentially in some particulars. Fig. 14, PI. 29, ex- 

 hibits the appearance they assume. They are usually about half an 

 inch in diameter, the inside nearly cylindrical, or rather slightly 

 elliptical, and the body much thicker on one side than on the other 

 so as to make the form of the outside very irregular j but they 

 never have the radiated character of the others. They do not vary 

 much in diameter, and are frequently several feet in length. They 

 do not taper, and I found no branching nor bulbs. Their substance 

 is calcareous, of a whitish colour, and the matter with which they 

 are filled is the same with that in which they are enveloped. 



Fig. 15, PI. 29, represents a fossil organized body, which I found 

 to occur frequently in the stratum of blue marl immediately under 

 the sandstone, or rather in the part where both these strata pass into 

 each other. 



