2 
U. N. MOSELEY. 
Alcyonarians. 
Tubipora .—The red colouring of the corallumof Tubipora 
absorbs all the spectrum but the red, hut shows no bands. 
Heliopora — The intense blue colouring of Heliopora 
carulea is soluble in the recent or dried condition of the 
corallum, neither in hydrochloric acid ammonia, caustic 
potash, nor alcohol. When the corallum is dissolved m 
hydrochloric acid the blue colouring matter is set free as 
small flocculent intensely coloured masses, which may be 
seen under the microscope to be insoluble in concentrated 
hydrochloric acid. The colouring matter however when 
thus set free is readily soluble in alcohol, and yields an 
intensely blue solution of the colour of sulphate of copper 
solution. This solution gives no absorption bands, but 
simply absorbs most of the red and violet of lie spectrum 
/pi Y No 1) On the addition of alkalies to the solution it 
becomes of a dirty green colour It regains its blue colour 
on being again rendered acid with hydrochlonc acid. Ihe 
blue solution when evaporated to dryness caves a blue amor¬ 
phous powder behind. The colouring matter is destroyed by 
nitric acid. 
ZOANTHARIANS. 
A snecies of Anthea, obtained off Bermuda in 31 fathoms, 
was of a dark red colour. The red colouring matter gave 
no absorption bands, but yielded the spectrum shown m PI. 
T n o 
’ Polyperythrin .-A large series of simple stony corals of 
very different genera and two forms of Actiniae, procured 
mostly from deep water in various localities, and also certain 
Hydroids, have been found to have a partial or entire deep 
madder-red coloration, due to the presence of a pecuhar 
colouring matter for which the name “polyperythrin is 
proposed. The madder colouring matter yields in the fresh 
condition a very well-defined spectrum of three absorption 
“/PI I fi". 3 a), the two less refrangible bands being 
very dark.' One band lies in the green and two at the less 
refrangible end of the spectrum (11. I, fig. 3 a). Ihe 
1 **** -re*™ * 
01 cuiouilUo -.--Hons of the ectoderm or any tissues 
S The colouring Matter i, 
stable, and 
l”",se 8 onh"“ The colouring matcer is inaolublc in 
