246 BERMUDA. 



named ty the fisherman cow's-pdps; and others, 

 which differ a little in form, are called dead-men's 

 toes, or dead-men's hands. 



Ahyonidium Gelatinosum. — This is found attached 

 to old stones and shells, and is a jelly-like, trans- 

 parent, spongy zoophyte, growing to a height of 

 nearly a foot, sometimes much longer. It is 

 branched, and of a brown colour, dotted with 

 polypes, which are attached to the cells, and 

 through angular openings they protrude their arms 

 or feelers. 



Alcyonidium Ecldnatum. — This parasite in crusts 

 dead univalve shells exclusively, and is about one- 

 twentieth of an inch in thickness. When taken out 

 of the water, it is soft and spongy, but becomes 

 rigid on drying. It has little sharp- pointed, spinous, 

 nipple-like protuberances. 



Asteroida. — The next order of zoophytes that 

 claims our notice is named Asteroida, from the 

 polypes presenting the form of a star on the surface 

 of the fleshy mass in which they reside. Their orga- 

 nization is superior to those previously described; 

 there being this difference, that instead of the animal 

 domiciling in a hard cell, it exists in a fleshy, tough 

 crast, which is supported by hard, calcareous spicula ; 

 and others have thick branching processes, which 



