REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. iii 



It is our very pleasing duty to return our gi-ateful thanks to Professor Perrier, of the 

 Jardin des Plantes, Paris, for the great facilities he gave us for examining the most 

 interesting collections under his care. Our best thanks are also due to Professor Selenka, 

 of Erlangen, and to Professor Count Tommaso Salvadori, of Turin, for the opportunities 

 they gave us of examining the original collections of Esper and of Duchassaing and 

 Michelotti. We would also record our deep sense of the kindness shown us and the 

 facilities given to us by the late Professor Peters, of Berlin. Alas the bestower of them is 

 beyond our thanks. 



We are indebted for much favour to the authorities of the British Museum, and in 

 the investigation of the types of the late Dr. Gray, we have obtained immense help from 

 the Rev. S. 0. Ridley and Professor F. Jefi'rey Bell, who from time to time forwarded to 

 us measurements and descriptions of several feebly diagnosed forms. 



To Professor v. Kolliker we would tender our very special thanks, he has on many 

 occasions given us the great benefit of his extensive knowledge of the Alcyonaria, as well 

 as supplied us with authentic specimens of important types. 



To the following we have at times appealed for assistance and never in vain: — Professor 

 Liitken, of Copenhagen ; Dr. v. Martens, of Berlin ; Dr. C. Keller, of Zurich ; Professor A. 

 C. Haddon, of the Royal College of Science, Dublin ; and Professor SoUas, of Trinity 

 College, Dublin. 



To Dr. John Murray we owe a more than ordinary indebtedness; in all matters 

 relating to the editing and illustrating of our Report he has at all times given us a ready 

 and effective help. To Mr. W. E. Hoyle, and to Mr. James Chumley, of the Challenger 

 OfHce, we are under great obligations for the painstaking and accurate revision of our 

 proof sheets; a revision that was in the case of the former by no means confined to the 

 ordinary task of correcting typographical errors, but embraced a supervision of the nomen- 

 clature and of the orderly sequence of the new species described. 



It is a matter of regret to us, that we were unable to obtain specimens of the many 

 important types of Alcyonaria described by Pourtales and Verrill, which were taken in 

 the Three Cruises of the " Blake," a detailed description of which is still anxiously 

 awaited by those interested in this group. 



Our thanks are due to Mr. George West, jun., and to Mr. Armbruster for the able 

 execution of the work intrusted to them. 



It only remains to mention that, in a Versuch eiues Systemes der Alcyonaria, one 

 of us published with the sanction of the Editor of the Challenger Reports, in the Archiv 

 fiir Naturgeschichte for 1887, an account of several of the new genera found in the 

 Challenger collection. 



