APPENDIX TO ALCYONARIA. 179 



Muricella rubra, n. sp. Plate, figs. 2 and 7. 



A minute fragment of a bright-red colony with a relatively thin coenenchyma filled 

 with long warty spindles. 



The verruca? are crowded and alternate, low and subcorneal, arising at right angles 

 to the surface, and covered with spindles smaller than those of the ccenenchyma. The 

 polyps are white and stand out conspicuously. The axis is light yellow, non- 

 calcareous, flexible, 0"5 millim. in diameter. 



The general spicules of the ccenenchyma are (a) large warty spindles, straight or 

 slightly S-shaped, l - 2 x 0'2, 0"95 x (P175 millims. ; and (b) small warty spindles, 0'5 x (VI, 

 0'4x0"075 millim. In the polyps the spicules are transparent, slightly warty 

 spindles, 0-25x0'04, 0"2x0-03 millim. 



Locality : Ceylon seas. 



Family: V1RGULAMIILE. 

 Virgularia loveni, Kolliker. 



We have already recorded the occurrence of representatives of V. loveni in this 

 collection, but another specimen has come to hand which deserves notice, especially 

 as that on which Kolliker based his species was very imperfect. 



This is also an incomplete specimen, but very well preserved, and presenting 

 several features which make us hesitate in referring it to V. loveni unless Kolliker's 

 diagnosis be somewhat modified. It is about 90 millims. in length, 5 millims. to 

 9 millims. in breadth, and is altogether pinnule-bearing, except 15 millims. at the 

 broken basal part. The lower pinnules are closely crowded without visible intervals ; 

 those on the upper portion are separated on the prorachidial surface by intervals of 

 1 millim. to 1'5 millims., and overlap on the metarachidial surface. There is a bare 

 tract, 2'5 millims. in breadth, along the prorachidial surface, and up the middle of 

 this there runs a well-marked narrow groove. 



The free margin of the pinnule curves like an elongated S, and its prorachidial 

 insertion is higher than the other. Most of the pinnules are turned markedly 

 downwards. There were 30 polyps on the pinnules counted, and a single row of 

 zooids extends transversely in the interspace between the pinnules. The polyps are 

 very distinct, but the indentations between the calices are shallow. 



The axis, which measures 2"25 millims. in diameter at the base, is cylindrical, 

 whitish, and covered with remarkable indentations and irregular ridges. 



This form agrees with V. loveni in having up to 30 polyps on the pinnules, an 

 indented ridged axis, the zooids in a single row, and so on ; but in Kolliker's 

 specimen the pinnules were 3 millims. to 4 millims. apart, the shape was approxi- 

 mately fan-like, and the calices were scarcely distinct. 



Locality : Ceylon seas. 



2 A 2 



