Hicksonella, a New Gorgonellid Genus. By J. J. Simpson. 685 



the colony. Towards the base the polyps diminish in number while 

 on the basal 4 or 5 cm. they are altogether absent. No definite 

 arrangement is discernible, and young polyps occur scattered 

 amongst the older forms. 



The verructe are elongated and club-shaped (pi. XIII. fig. 4a) ; 

 they are about 1 ■ 5 mm. in length and about ■ 5 mm. in diameter 

 near the apex. They are not retractile into the ccenenchyma, and 

 the swollen terminal part is due to the withdrawal of the antho- 

 codia within the verruca. They are densely spiculose, and the 

 scales on the aboral surface of the tentacles form a pseudo- 

 operculum to the partially retracted anthocodia. Fig. 4& shows 

 the characteristic appearance of the portion figured in 4ft from the 

 non-polyp-bearing aspect. 



The spicules (pi. XIII. fig. 5) of this species are very character- 

 istic. The following are some of the chief types, with measure- 

 ments, length by breadth, in millimetres : — 



1. Thick, massive, warty spindles. (0-053 x 0*015; 0-049 



X 0-011; 0-038 x 0-015; 0-038 x 0-011.) 



2. Smaller; usually curved spindles with the warts more 



developed on the convex side. (0-046 X 0*008; 0-031 

 X 0-008.) 



3. Irregular scales (from the verrucae). (0*031 x 0-011; 



0-027 X 0*015.) 



4. Aberrant type, resembling crosses. (0 ■ 034 x * 023.) 



5. Peculiar, bilaterally symmetrical type with a sort of thick 



foliaceous expansion. (0 * 015 x * 015 ; * 015 X * 011 ; 

 0*011 x 0*011.) 



6. Birotate forms (like those in Suberogorgia verriculata). 



(0*011 x 0*008; 0-008 x 0-008.) 

 Locality : — Cape Morgan, 1ST. £ W., 10^ miles ; depth, 77 fathoms. 

 By dredge. Eocks and broken shells (26. vii. 1901). 



Hicksonella capcnsis sp.n. Plate XIII. figs. 6, 7. 



This species has been established to include a very character- 

 istic colony 75 cm. in length without the basal portion. The 

 diameter at the present base is 3*5 mm.; midway it is 3*25 mm., 

 while near the tip it is 3 mm., so that the tapering is very slight. 

 The actual tip is conical. 



The colony is twisted in an irregular open spiral throughout 

 its entire length, but in such a way that the bare tract is always 

 to the inside. 



The ccenenchyma is extremely thin and is densely spiculose. 

 The axis is composed of concentric laniinse, which consist of a 

 horny substance impregnated with some form of calcareous matter. 

 It is very hard, white in colour, and the surface is marked by deep 

 longitudinal furrows. It tapers to a hair-like fineness at the tip. 



