REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 85 



Primnoella jiagellum, Studer (PI. XVIII. figs. 2, 2a; PI. XXI. fig. 12). 



Primnoella jiagellum, Studer, Mooatsber. d. L preuss. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 645, 1878. 



Several colonies in the collection, which are unfortunately unattached, belong to 

 this species. 



The uniform thinness and flexibility of the entirely horny axis, which may be bent 

 in every direction, at once separates this species from Primnoella magellanica. 



The almost cylindrical polyps form whorls of from six to eight, which are placed so 

 far from one another that the internodes are not quite covered. The calyx scales are 

 larger than in Pn»woe/^a magellanica ; three dorsal longitudinal rows are visible, which 

 are arranged in eight to nine in the " Gazelle " specimens, in eight to eleven in the 

 Challenger ones. The ventral scales are well developed and form two rows. The 

 length of the cells reaches 2 to 2*5 mm., their diameter 1 mm. The opercular 

 scales are triangular, and are jjroduced at the end into a flat knob, which projects 

 distinctly from the edge of the scale. 



Spicules. — Calyx scales ; the upper edge strongly convex in those nearer the mouth, 

 those at the base with straighter upper and lower edge. The latter always strongly 

 toothed. Length to breadth, 0-45-0-4 ; 0-29-0-34 ; 0-35-0-45 mm.; the latter near 

 the base of the calyx. Opercular scales three-sided, smooth, with a blunt point ; 

 dorsal 0'63— 0'29 mm.; ventral 0"37-0'15 mm. Spicules of the ccenenchyma, longish 

 oval, 0-23-0-13 ; 0-22-0-19 mm. 



Habitat. — Station 308, off Tom Bay, Patagonia ; depth, 175 fathoms; bottom, blue 

 mud. 



[Lat. 43° 56' 2" S., long. 60° 25' 2" W.; depth, 60 fathoms; bottom, sandy mud 

 (" Gazelle ").] 



Primnoella distans, Studer (PI. XVII. figs. 1, la). 



Primnoella distans, Monatsber. d. k. preuss. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 644, Tab. i. fig. 9, 1878. 



This delicate form is represented in the Challenger collection by several specimens, 

 and colonies are present which still retain the root-end, which was wanting in the 

 original specimen. The root here consists of branched stolon-like calcareous lamellae, 

 whose edges are inflected and provided with little processes. In one case the root 

 consists of two calcareous lameUse, which are twisted spirally around the axis, then they 

 fuse, again dividing into two divergent roots, each of which again divides into two 

 terminal branches. Each forms a calcareous lamella, which is folded together so as to 

 form a groove, from the edges of which small branched rootlets again come ofi". The entire 

 structure forcibly calls to mind the stolon-hke roots of Strophogorgia and Ceratoisis. 

 The stem of the coral arises immediately from the root-lamella. The axis forms a 

 flexible homy stem, having a diameter of 0*5 mm. at the base and is covered only by a 



