THE 



VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



ZOOLOGY. 



REPORT on the Alcyonaria collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the 

 Years 1873-76. By Professor E. Perceval Wright, M.A. Dub. and 

 Oxon., M.D. Dub., Sec. R.I. A., &c., and Professor Th. Studer, M.D. 

 Bern, &c. 



PREFACE. 



In July 1879, Sir C. Wyville Thomson invited Professor E. Perceval Wright to 

 undertake the description of the Alcyonaria other than the Pennatulacea, which latter 

 had been described by Professor v. Kolliker, and as, on inspection of the collection at 

 Edinburgh, the number of species did not appear to be very extensive, the invitation was 

 accepted, and the Alcyonaria were sent to Dublin in October 1879. 



This collection was contained in sixty-nine bottles, and the sorting and provisional 

 namino- of the series was well advanced in the summers of 1880 and 1881, but it was not 

 found possible to get the new species drawn until the spring of 1882, when Dr. Murray 

 secured the services of Mr. George West, jun., by whom all the species figured, from 

 the series referred to, have been drawn. 



In 1882 a fresh collection of specimens of Alcyonaria was sent from Edinburgh ; this 

 collection, packed in six boxes, reached Dublin in July 1882. Five of these boxes con- 

 tained tin cases, in which were found an immense assortment of forms which had been 

 placed in strong spirits, just as they had been taken from the dredge. One box was 

 filled with bottles and tubes containing numerous small species. 



This second collection was found on examination to contain a number of new and 

 rare species not found in the first series. Among others may be mentioned the remarkable 



(ZOOL. CHAl.L. EXP. — PART LXIV. — 1889.) SsS a 



