230 



01 an axis 120 mm. lon^ witli six lateral branches, themselves 

 supporting a few small branchlets. The branches are 4 mm. x 



2 mm. in diameter, the axis being decidedly flattened, and they 

 terminate distally in distinctly swollen extremities. The zooids 

 are few in nimiber and confined to the lateral areas of the 

 flattened branches. The coenenchym is thick and fleshy on the 

 terminal branches, but very thin on the principal branch or axis. 

 The spicules are warted spindles about . i mm. in length and 

 fairly uniform in size. Some longer pointed spindles with fewer 

 tubercles occur in the calices. The surface of the branches is 

 smooth, the position of the calices being represented by slit- 

 shaped pores parallel with the axis and in some cases with a 

 slight mound or convexity round them. The specimen is pro- 

 bably related to Gorgonia liitkeni (W. and S.) and Gorgonia 

 capensis (Hickson), but differs from both in some particulars. 



I he terminal branches are a good deal more fleshy than in both, 

 and in colour it is white not yellow or yellowish red. Tn tliese 

 particulars the specimen approaches Verrill's Enplexaura 

 capensis. The axis is devoid of calcium carbonate. 



Eugorgia Gilchristi, n, sp. 



Plate IX., figs. 15 and iq. 



Localiiy : Lat. 34" 5' 20" S., Long. 25° 43' E. 52 fathoms. Rock. 



Considerable difficulty was found in determining the proper 

 ])Osition of this form. In its mode of growth the character of the 

 superficial coenenchym, the character of the verrucae, it has a 

 close resemblance to the genus Verrucella, and at flrst it seemed 

 to correspond witli the Verrucella granifera, Koll, obtained by 

 Mobius off the coast of Africa (sic !) But it differs from Verru- 

 cella and the family Gorgonellidae to which Verrucella belongs 

 ii' the fact that the axis is not calcified. I have decided, there- 

 fore, with some hesitation, to place it in the genus Eugorgia 

 (Verrill), with which it agrees in the horny character of the axis, 

 the general character of the spicules, and the " finely granulous " 

 nature of the surface. It seems to approach most nearly the 

 description of Eugorgia Daniana (\"errill) from Panama and 

 Pearl Islands, but I think it may justifiably be regarded as a 

 distinct species. 



It is a large flexible coral sj^ringing from a single horny stem 

 _j.5 mm. in diameter and reaching a total height of 240 mm. It 

 branches profusely, pinnately or irregularly with occasional 

 anastomoses. ihe terminal branches are of variable length, and 

 about I mm. in diameter. The axis is horny throughout and 

 verv slender indeed in the terminal branches. The verrucae are 

 dome-shaped, quite distinct, but not very prominent, and they are 



