REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 183 



The polyps are placed on the sides of the stem and branches, about 2 mm. apart, 

 sometimes they are opposite and sometimes alternate. They are never terminal ; when 

 retracted the verrucae appear as little conical projections, about 0*5 mm. in height. The 

 ccenenchyma is well marked and is filled with large spicules somewhat resembling those 

 of Isis hippuris, but more irregular in outline and with more flattened heads ; these latter 

 forming a pavement over the stem and branches, and extending up to the base of the 

 polyp bodies. 



These spicules measure 0-5-0-34 ; 0-34-0-3 ; 0-3-0-2 ; 0-22-0-16 mm.; some more 

 club-shaped measure 0"l-0"22 ; 0'16-0"1 mm. Some smaller stellate spicules are to be 

 found in the verrucae, these measure 0"1-0"12 ; 0"12-0"1 mm. 



The colour of the colony (in spirits) is a yellowish-white or a dirty brown. The 

 nodes are dark and seen through the ccenenchyma. 



No portion of the fragments in the collection seems to be quite free from the parasitism 

 of an incrusting Sponge which appears gradually to destroy the colony. 



Dr. Gray has made a family Trinellidae to include his new genus Trinella and Verrill's 

 genus Pan'sts, but an examination of a portion of Dr. Gray's species, Trinella smnhoei, from 

 Formosa, demonstrates beyond a doubt, as indeed we had guessed from an examination 

 of the very accurate drawings accompanying his description, that this species is only a 

 partially destroyed specimen of Parisis fruticosa, overgrown with the Sponge above 

 referred to, and having in addition some species of Palythoa incrusting part of it. Dr. 

 Gray's description would also seem to have imposed on Mr. Ridley.^ 



Habitat. — Station 192, ofi" the Ki Islands; depth, 140 fathoms. 



Parisis australis, n. sp. (PI. XLI. fig. 3). 



Two fragments from off Port Jackson are in the collection, and they seem to differ 

 in several respects from any of the hitherto described species ; though in some details 

 they resemble Parisis mauritiensis, Ridley, and may through it form a link with 

 Parisis fruticosa, Verrill. They are, however, unfortunately in a very bad state for 

 description, owing to their being overrun by an incrusting Sponge, the projecting 

 siliceous spicules of which give a roughened appearance to the colony. The larger 

 specimen is about 235 mm. in height. 



The colony as represented by the larger specimen is branched, the branches pro- 

 ceeding from but one side of the axis, they are all in the one plane, and most of them 

 are again branched. There is not the slightest trace of any anastomosis of any of the 

 branches. 



The internodal regions of the axis at its base measure from 2 to 2*5 mm. in height ; 

 towards the extremities of the branches they increase to a length of from 3*5 to 4 mm. 

 1 We venture to regard his species from Mauritius as a variety of Parisis fruticosa, Verrill. 



