THE SHORES OF BRITAIN, 75 
meshes of a net, this species is a very beautiful 
one. Its polypes, as in the other instances, have 
eight tentacles. This is exceedingly rare, though 
it has occurred on the British shores. 
But more singular than either of these is the 
form of Polypidom, often brought up by fishermen 
attached to their baits, and by them called Cocks’- 
comb, or rather more appropriately, Sea-pen (Pen- 
natula phosphorea). It very closely resembles a 
= Peers 
Srea-FAN (Gorgonia flabellum), and SEA-PEN (Pennatulu phosphorea). 
broad feather from two or three inches in length, 
and of a purplish colour. The lower part is cy- 
lindrical, or nearly so, and represents the quill, 
and the tip of this is tinged with orange. Above 
this the stem is fringed on each side with very re- 
gular, flat, dentated processes, diminishing gradually 
