72 



0. SMITHIL Polypidom cylindrical, lamellae entire, 

 arched, finely crenate, from three to five smaller ones 

 between the larger, centre tubercular. PI. 12, fig, 3. 



Madrepora cyathus, Ellis and Solander's Zooph., p. 150, 

 tab. 28, fig. 7. Caryophyllia cyathus, Fleming's Brit. An., 

 p. 508. Caryophyllia sessilis, Bellamy's South Devon Nat. 

 Hist., p. 330, tab. 18. C. Smithii, Harvey in Mag. Nat. 

 Hist., vol. 1, new series, p. 474, fig. 55, ( the figure of the 

 animal inaccurate.) Johnston's Brit. Zooph., p. 207, fig. 30, 

 p. 206. 



Hab. On stones from, deep water, abundant. Polperro, 

 Goran, Mevagissey, Veryan. 



There is scarcely a stone drawn from deep water, but has 

 several specimens of this species attached to it, and in many 

 cases so many as sixty, or even more. 



The height of this Zoophyte varies from one-eighth of an 

 inch to an inch ; it is calcareous, cylindrical or conical, lon« 

 gitudinally striated externally, and firmly united to the rock. 

 Superiorly it is cupped or concave, and lamellated. The 

 lamellae may be divided into three kinds ; first, the primary 

 or larger ones, which rise above the rest and extend from 

 the circumference two-thirds towards the centre, and vary 

 in number from twelve to twenty, and Dr. Fleming says to 

 forty ; this number does not depend on the size of the spe- 

 cimen. Between these primary ones are three smaller ones, 

 the centre one of which is the largest, and extends from 

 the circumference halfway towards the centre, where it 

 apparently ends, but soon after rises into another gill, forming 

 an inner series, lying between the primary ones and the 

 tuberculated centre. The external longitudinal striae, are 

 formed by the attachments of the gills inside. 



The animal is an Actinia, and when expanded is delicately 

 beautiful. In expanding, the mouth is first elevated, and is 

 about one and a half lines in length, surrounded by a light 

 yellow or brown rim, marked transversely by rugae, as if it 

 was formed of lamellae, but when fully expanded it becomes 

 smooth and polished. Beyond this labial rim are two or more 

 series of tentacula, similar in form to the horns of a snail, 

 light brown at their bases or origins, with white rounded ball 

 like extremities, made more conspicuous by each having a 

 vermillion circumference. The colour of the animal how- 

 ever, is liable to great variation; it is sometimes red, yellow, 

 orange, or brown, but the white rounded extremity of the 

 tentacula is constant. 



I have obtained specimens on this coast from the thirty- 

 second of an inch to one inch in height ; from having only 

 four primary rays, up to twenty. 



