ALCYONARIANS. BRIGGS. 85 



Genus PRIMNOELLA. f'iraij. 



PRIMNOELLA AUSTRALASIA, Gray. 



Primnoa australasice, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1849, p. 146, 

 pi. ii., figs. 8, 9 ; Id., Gray, Ann. Mao-. Nat. Hist., (2), 

 v., 1850, p. 510. 



Primnoella australasice, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1857, p. 

 286, and 1859, p. 483 ; Id., Gray, Cat. Lithophytes in 

 Brit. Mus., 1870, p. 50. Id., Verrill, Bull. U.S. Nat. 

 Mus., 1876, p. 76. Id., Wright and Stucler, Chall. 

 Rep., Zool., xxxi., 1889, p. 88, pi. xviii., figs. 1, la, 

 pi. xxi., fig. 15. Id., Versluys, Gorgoniden Siboga 

 Exped., ii., Primnoidse, 1906, p. 52, figs. 55-60. Id., 

 Thomson and Mackinnon, Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., 13, 

 1911, p. 688, pi. Ixi., fig. 1. 



This species is represented by a single colony, which is 

 imperfect at the tip, and has a length of 81 cm. The lower 

 portion of the stem is devoid of polyps and ccenenchyma, 

 which is first met with at a height of 55 mm. The thickness 

 of the axis at its base is 5 mm., but rapidly diminishes to 

 3 mm. in diameter. At the point of attachment of the 

 colony the axis is hard and calcareous, but soon becomes 

 horny and flexible. There are fifteen to nineteen calyces, 

 2 mm. in length, on each closely packed whorl. 



Locality. Fifteen and a-half miles S. 8 E. of Cape Everard, 

 Victoria, 66 fathoms. 



Distribution. P. australasice has been recorded frequently 

 from the eastern and southern coasts of Australia, from 

 Tasmania (Gray), and from Bluff Harbour, New Zealand 

 (Verrill). Gray also gives as a locality the " Australian 

 Seas." The " Challenger " Expedition obtained specimens 

 from Port Jackson, New South Wales, 30-35 fathoms, and 

 from off Twofold Bay, New South Wales, 150 fathoms. 

 Records by Thomson and Mackinnon tell of its presence at 

 nine stations on the coast of New South Wales. 



Under the name Primnoella australasice (Gray), Hickson 1 

 recorded a Primnoid from Port Phillip. Victoria, which he 

 now refers to Caligorgia flabellum, Ehrenberg. He writes 2 

 " I ask therefore to correct my report by substituting the 

 name Caligorgia flabellum (Ehrenberg) for Primnoella austral- 

 asise (Gray), in the list of species obtained at Port Phillip." 



1. Hickson Proc. Roy. Soc. Viet., (n.s.), ii.. iS'.in. ,.. l:iS. 



2. Hickson Proc. Roy. Soc. Viet,, (n.s.), xix., I'.iOT, ]>. 4<i. 



