338 
REPORT ON ZOOLOGY, MDCCC'XLII : 
He also found at Naples another very small zoophyte, of the family of 
the XenicB, upon Balani and oyster shells, which he describes as Ev agora 
rosea. The eight-armed polypi of this zoophyte {2'" long) can retract 
themselves completely into their lower leather-like basis. The same 
Naturalist has pointed out the presence of the Isis elongata in the 
Mediterranean ; and mentions six species of Cyathina, Ehrenb., also 
found there, among which are three new species, Cyath. angulosa, 
pulchella, and striata. 
A new zoophyte, belonging to the Alcyonidula, has been discovered 
by Hassall on the Irish coast, and placed in a particular genus, Cycloum 
(Ann. Nat. Hist. vii. p. 483). Its character is given as foUows; — Poly- 
pidom fleshy, encrusting, covered with numerous imperforate papillge. 
The only species, Gy clomn papillosum, has polypi with eighteen tentacula 
disposed in the form of a bell. It is found upon Fucus serratus. — Another 
new genus Hassall has named Sarcochitum. In this zoophyte, the poly- 
pidom is fleshy and encrusting, covered with numerous prominences of 
irregular form and unequal size, from which the polypi issue. The only 
species, Sarcochitum polyoum, is also found on Fucus serratus, and 
has polypi with twenty tentacula. 
Stinging organs have been recognised by Erdl in the fang-arms of 
the Alcyonium eoeos (Miill. Arch. 1841, p. 28). He has also subjected 
Veretillum cynomorium to a more exact investigation (ibid. p. 43), and 
given an excellent figure (R. W agner, leones Zootom. tab. 34, fig. 1 and 
4-7). The male and female polypes of this Veretillum, recognised by 
him, difier from each other in this respect, that in the latter the eggs 
hang together in the foot like a bunch of grapes, by means of pedicles ; 
while, in the former, the seminal capsules are fastened together on the 
same spot. 
Costa has assured us, that Pennatula rests at the bottom of the sea 
in the mud, and that what are called the polypes are only peculiar 
organs of one and the same animal (Fror. N. Notiz. Bd. 21, p. 154). 
These relations, as well as the presence of a nervous system, must, 
according to him, bring Pennatula near to Encrinus. 
Laurent has made Hydra grisea the object of his investigation in 
several treatises, and mentioned many singular views (Fror. N. Notiz. 
Bd. 24, p. 81 and 100). He denies, among others, the existence of the 
hastse of Corda, and asserts, that the hook-threads, with their hooks, 
are only a glutinous sap spun out, and enlarged at the loose or free ex- 
tremity. If the reporter should grant that thread originates in this 
way, he cannot conceive how the hooks, with their little bladders, should 
only be at the swollen end of such melted slime. It must be a very 
unpractised eye that could mistake this hook apparatus in the way 
Laurent has done. He does not agree, besides, that the spot at the 
origin of the foot is an ovary, because it presents the same structure as 
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