EEPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. lix 



6. Euplcxaura, Verrill, Proc. Essex Inst., vol. vi. p. 74, 1869. 



This genus resembles Plexanrella, and has large polyps. The polyps are numerous 

 and completely retractile. The coenenchyma is dense, granular. The spicules are short, 

 blunt warty spindles of rather small size, and also small simple double-spindles and a 

 few minute irregular crosses. 



7. Psammogorgia,\Qvv\\\, Amer. Journ. Sci. and Arts, vol. xlv. p. 413, 18G8: Trans. 

 Connect. Acad., vol. i. p. 414, 18G9. 



The colony is upright and l^ranched, with a horny axis; the coenenchyma is moderately 

 thick; the surface is finely granular with small roueh spicules. The polyp calyces are 

 scattered over the surface, sometimes level with it, more usually projecting in the form 

 of roundish warts. The polyps contain large attenuated warty spindles which extend to 

 the base of the tentacles. The spir-ules of the coenenchyma are short, thick, spiny and 

 warty spindles and also warty clubs. 



8. EuniceUa, Verrill, Amer. Jour-n. Sci. and Arts, vol. xlviii. p. 425, 1869. 



The colony is upright, simple or branched ; the polyp calyces are in tlie form of 

 projecting warts. The coenenchyma is thin or moderately thick, with small warty 

 double spindles, but having also a layer of peculiar club-shaped spicules, which form a 

 continuous external layer, the spicules being at right angles to the axis. 



9. Platygorgia, Studer, Archiv f. Naturgesch., Jahrg. liii. Bd. i. p. GO. 



Miiritella, Graj' {ex parte), Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist, ser. 4, vol. v. p. 40.5. 



The colony is upright and branched ; the branches and the horny axis are fiattened 

 in the plane of ramification. The polyp calyces are sunk into the ccenenchyma, and 

 do not project. There is a cortical layer of small clubs with terminal expansions, and 

 under these are thick warty spindles. This genus is formed to include Gorgonia 

 albicans, Kolliker, Gorgonia ijcdraa, var. alhu, Esper. The retracted polyps and the 

 flattened branches present an appearance so difi'erent from that of the type species of 

 EuniceUa, that a generic separation appears to be warranted. The spicules are also 

 characteristic, since the clul)s are here as long as the sjiindles. Mvrit.eUa, Gray, 

 included Gorgonia albicans, KuWWf^r = Gorgonia palnia, Pallas, and Goj-gonia/ccosa, 

 Valenciennes. 



