APPENDIX TO ALCYONARIA. 181 



V. reinwardtii there are 18 polyps, but the calices are not separate. The present 

 specimen appears to be nearest V. elegans, Gray, but in that species the pinnules 

 are much less distinct, the number of calices is 14 to 24, and the calices are "scarcely 

 separate at the margin." 

 Locality : Ceylon seas. 



Virgularia indica, n. sp. 



Several incomplete specimens, about 12 centims. in length by 5 millims. to 6 millims. 

 in breadth, bearing over 120 pairs of pinnules. About a fourth of these are well 

 developed and are separated by intervals of 075 millim. On the upper region of the 

 prorachidial surface there is a bare streak 2 millims. in breadth, which becomes a 

 narrow line in the lower half of the colony. On the lower half of the metarachidial 

 surface there is a deep channel left up the middle between the two rows of pinnules, 

 but higher up this is lost, since the opposite pinnules meet or regularly overlap. There 

 were 15 polyps on all the pinnules counted and the siphonozooids occur in equal 

 number in a row midway between two pinnules or near the base of the upper pinnule. 

 The ovoid calices are distinctly marked off from one another and the translucent 

 pinnule shows grooves and ridges corresponding in number to the polyps. Several 

 ova were seen in the pinnules. 



The axis is cylindrical, about 1 millim. in diameter, and covered by a reddish-brown 

 investment. As regards the number of polyps on a pinnule, this form resembles 

 V. multiflora, Kner, which Jungersen regards as merely a variety of V. mirabilis 

 (O. F. Muller). But the pinnules are much closer together, they often show an 

 S-shaped curve, and they are translucent ; the calices are distinctly separated from 

 one another ; the axis is flexible and covered with a reddish investment. 



It therefore seems necessary to establish a new species. 



Locality : Modragam Paar, Gulf of Manaar. 



It may seem remarkable that Professor Herdman should have found in a short time 

 within a limited area no fewer than six species of Virgularia. This is the more 

 extraordinary since the rich collection of deep-water Alcyonarians made by the 

 'Investigator" in the Indian Ocean does not include a single representative of the 

 genus. 



It seems extraordinary, almost suspicious, that the handful of Vivgulavice before us 

 should include three new species, in spite of our endeavours to unite these with others 

 previously described. We would therefore note that : 



(1) V. tuberculata is conspicuously characterised by its red tuberculated axis and 

 by the six, relatively large, very distinct, barrel-shaped polyps on each small pinnule ; 



(2) V. calycina is conspicuously characterised by its 18 very distinct ovoid calices 

 on each prominently ridged pinnule ; 



(3) V. indica approaches V. multiflora, but differs in having the pinnules much 



