220 THE LUCERNAEIA. 



these, little pools, four or five feet across, and eigbteen 

 inches deep, are formed, the matted roots of the 

 Zostera having been washed away. The bottom of 

 the pools is of clear sand, with innumerable broken 

 tubes of a species of Sabella [Terehella ?] and a few 

 Poffurus bernhardus, all small specimens ; also Venus 

 striatula and Mactra stultorum. On the surface of 

 these little lakes and round the edges, float the leaves 

 of the Zostera which grow nearest the margin ; and 

 attached to these leaves on their under sides, with the 

 mouth and tentacles downwards, rests the Lucernaria 

 on the watch for prey ; at times in a state of rest, 

 at others in constant motion. The heads of the 

 tentacles possess great power of adhesion, and I 

 expect you will find the filaments or threads highly 

 developed." 



The accompanying plate represents two specimens 

 of Isicernaria auricula attached to a pendent thread 

 of sea-weed. In the foreground is that fine bivalve 

 CPectunculus pilosusj, which is taken in deep water 

 in this Bay ; its summit is covered with the common 

 Acorn-shell fBalanus balanoidesj ; on which rests 

 the Scarlet-lined jEsop-prawn fPandalus annuli- 

 cornisj. Behind this spring two fronds of the Ladies' 

 tresses (Laminaria phylKtis.J From the rock above 

 the Lucernarim is growing a bushy tuft of a coarse 

 but curious Alga {Geramium echionotum) ; and below 

 is seen a plant of exquisite structure, one of the most 

 simple, but one of the most lovely of sea-weeds, the 

 Bryopsis plumosa. 



