83 



None of these specimens showed any sexual organs. 

 These facts suggest that the spawning period of the species 

 is probably in the spring or early summer. 



GORGONIA CAPENSIS, n. Sp. 



Plate V. A. 



A beautiful yellow Gorgonia, obtained in 40 fathoms 10 

 miles S.W.-^W. of Cape St. Blaize, diiffers in several essential 

 respects from any species that has yet been described. 



Description. — The specimen is 250 mm. in length, the base 

 missing. The branches are not disposed in one plane. Ter- 

 minal branches elongated. Main axis 2 mm. in diameter. 

 Branches i mm. in diameter terminating bluntly. Axis and 

 branches cylindrical in form. Surface smooth, the delicate 

 transparent polyps projecting from narrow bi-convex slits 

 without forming verrucae. The spicules of the coenenchym 

 are warty spindles of the generd form of those described by 

 Kolliker as " doppelspindeln," on an average o.i mm. in 

 length. 



The polyps are scattered evenly over all sides of the 

 branches. Over the older branches the coenenchym is thin, 

 but the terminal branches are relatively fleshy. 



There can be little doubt that this species is closely related 

 tv"» Gorgonia CLophogorgia) Liitkeni Wright and Studer 

 which was found in 310 fathoms ofif Prince Edward Island, 

 960 miles from the Cape. 



It differs from Wright and Studer's species in the following 

 particulars : — The axis is cylindrical and not appreciably 

 flattened, the polyps are evenly scattered in the coenenchym, 

 leaving no bare lines or patches, the spindles are decidedly 

 smaller (the spicules of G. Liitkeni being 0.2 mm. and 0.3 

 mm. in length) *. In the shape of the spicules there is a very 

 striking resemblance between these two species and Gorgonia 

 flammea. 



In many particulars in which this new species differs from 

 G. Liitkeni and G. flammea it approaches those species of the 

 genus which were formerly grouped under the generic name 

 of Leptogorgia. 



* Since writing this I have examined a piece of the tvpe specimen of G. 

 Liitkeni from the British Museum and find them the same size as in G. capensis 

 but red in colour like flammea. Not one was as much as 0'« mm. in length. 



02 



