ALCYONITJM. 109 



The above description of the anatomy and development 

 of Alcyonium digitatum is compiled entirely from my own 

 observations. A considerable part of the work has already 

 been published in a paper which appeared in the Quarterly 

 Journal of Microscopical Science, Volume o7, and the 

 reader ma}' be referred to this for further information on 

 the histology of the species. The account of the chemistry 

 of the mesogloea was published in the same volume by 

 Mr. Brown. 



An important paper has recently been published by Mr. 

 Gr. C. Bourne in the " Transactions of the Linnsean 

 Society," Vol. VII. , pt. 10, on the genus Lemnalia, in 

 which the term ifc Anthocodia," which has been adopted 

 in this memoir, and others which will be useful to 

 students of the Alcyonaria are introduced for the first 

 time. 



Explanation of the Plates. 

 Plate I. 



Fig. 1. A small specimen of Alcyonium digitatum., L., 

 natural size, killed in such a manner that 

 some of the anthocodige (i.e., polyp-heads) 

 have remained expanded while the others are 

 completely or wholly retracted. The antho- 

 codise on the knob seen at the right hand side 

 of the drawing, for example, are retracted, 

 and the star-like depressions indicating their 

 positions are the " false mouths,'' as explained 

 in the text. This figure is drawn from a 

 specimen taken at Port Erin. 



Fig. 2. Another specimen of Alcyonium digitatum 

 drawn in outline and reduced about \ diam. 

 to show the blunt lobe-like processes that are 



