REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 65 



short point ; moreover, there radiate from the nucleus to the edges raised ribs, formed 

 from the fusion of prominences, which at the end run out into little points projecting 

 beyond the edge of the scale. Height to breadth, 0-47-0-5 ; 0-42-0-57 ; 0-36-0-3 ; 

 0'42-0"35 ; 0'35-0'52 mm. The opercular scales are pointed, triangular, with somewhat 

 unequal sides, with ribs radiating from the nucleus which run out into points, of these 

 the middle rib is the most developed, and runs out into a long spine. Height to 

 breadth, 07-0-27 ; 0-62-0-37 ; 0-5-0-38 mm. 



The coenenQhyma scales of the outer layer are irregularly three-cornered or polygonal, 

 at times four-edged or rounded, they always overlap one another with their lateral edges. 

 Height to length, 0-41-0-26 ; 0-35-0-26 ; 0-43-0-3 ; 0-38-0-29 ; 0-4-0-25 ; 0-26-0-2 mm. 

 Those of the inner layer are flat, three-cornered, or irregularly polygonal, 0"18-0"12; 

 0-15-0-09; 0-2-0-18 mm. 



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

 mud. Two specimens. 



Station 310, Sarmiento Channel, Patagonia; depth, 400 fathoms-; bottom, blue mud. 

 A fragment of a specimen ; the twigs are finer, more flexible, the dorsal twigs on the 

 branches being hardly developed. 



4. TJiouarella antarctica (Valenciennes) (PI. XXI. fig. 6). 



Primnoa antarctica, Valenc, Zool. Ju Voyage de la Frigate la Venus, Atlas, Zoophytes, pL xii. 

 fig. 2. 

 „ ,, Milne-Edwards, Hist. Nat. des Coralliaires, t. L p. 140. 



Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lend., 18.57, p. 286 ; 1859, p. 483. 

 ,, „ KoUiker, Icones Histiol., p. 135. 



Thouarella antarctica, Gray, Cat. Litlioph. Brit. Mus.,p. 45. 



Milne-Edwards characterises the species as follows : — " Pol}'pieroide extremement 

 delicat, dont les branches, presque filiformes, sont disposees irregulierement tout autour 

 d'une tige principale, de fa9on k constituer une touff'e en forme de goupillon. Papilles 

 caliciferes petites, mais tres fortes, comparativement au diametre de I'axe qui les porte." 

 The fragment figured in the Voyage of the " Venus " gives a good general idea of the 

 specimen preserved in the Jardin des Plantes, only in detail the scales are drawn much 

 too strongly toothed. Gray has made use of the figure and description for the 

 characterisation of his genus Thouarella, without giving any further details. Kolliker 

 gives the measure of the calyx scales examined by him from 0'18 to 0'63 mm. The 

 species has nowhere been minutely described. The original specimen, in the collection 

 of the Jardin des Plantes, was obtained by Captain Du Petit Thouars ot the Falkland 

 Islands. It is a branch, the lower part of which is broken ofi", 'and from which fine 

 lateral twigs are given oflF on all sides, which bear the club-shaped polj-ps. The com- 

 parison with a bottle-brush (goupillon) is very striking. 



(zool. CHALL. EXP. — PART LXIV. — 1887.) ' Sss 9 



