REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 163 



guttered, or channelled stems, but in some instances at least the forms of the axes are 

 very protean, sometimes creeping over fallen Gorgonid stems, and at others growing with 

 flattened upright branches from such stoloniferous masses, and even assuming the form 

 of short cylindrical stems. No doubt a thorough revision of the species of both these 

 genera is required, but the material is not at present available for such a task. 



Under these circumstances it seems advisable not at present to form a new genus 

 for a new species from Australia, in which the upright axes are very cylindrical in 

 outline, and we venture to place it in Suheria, 



Suberia genthi, n. sp. (PI. XL. fig. 1). 



The colony forms at first an incrusting suface growing over the long, denuded stems of 

 a Gorgonia. These were apparently grown over when lying horizontally on the ground. 

 On reaching the termination of the foreign axis, and on several occasions at intervals 

 along its length, little upright stems arise, sometimes simple, but sometimes branched ; 

 these are perfectly cylindrical in form and never show the slightest tendency to 

 anastomose. One of these upright branches rises from the incrusting basal portion to a 

 height of 80 mm., with a diameter of 2-5 mm. At 10 mm. from the base a second small 

 branch arises, extending to a length of 30 mm., when it bifurcates into two branches of 

 15 mm. each in length, shortly after the origin of this a second branch is given ofi", but 

 not in the same plane, and reaches a length of ,25 mm. ; the main axis of this colony 

 itself terminates in two small branches. 



The polyps are numerous both on the incrusting and stem-like portions, they are 

 not confined to any limited area, they are retractile within verrucas, which latter can also 

 apparently become so contracted as not to project much beyond the surface of the 

 coenench5Tna ; when so contracted they show an eight-rayed outline. The polyps are 

 not terminal. 



There is a weU-developed coronet of long and bent spindle-shaped spicules below the 

 tentacles, which are themselves armed with spicules. 



The nutrient canals in the cylindrical portion of the axis run in the circumference 

 of the axis, but others can be detected in the central portion. There is no well-marked 

 central axis. 



The straight warty spicules measure 0-34-0-1 ; 0-34-0-06 ; 0-3-0-06 ; 0-28-0-06 ; 

 0-24-0-06; 0-14-0-1 ; 0-09-0-08 mm. The bent warty spindles measure 0-3-0-1 ; 

 0'24-0*12 mm. The irregular branched spicules are 0'24-0"06 mm. in widest diameter. 

 The four-rayed forms 0-32-0-06 ; 0-2-0-12 mm. The long s^^iny bent and curved spindle 

 0-4-0-04 ; 0-24-0-4 mm. Some double crosses measure 0-1-0-025 ; 0-08-0-01 mm. 



Habitat. — Shallow water, ofi" Port Jackson. 



