Hicksonella, a New Gorgoncllid Genus. By J. J. Simpson. 089 



(2) Bathy metrical. This genus, like other Gorgonellids, is 

 represented by shallow-water forms ; H. spiralis was dredged in 

 36 and 47 fathoms, and H. capensis in 37 fathoms. 



Note on the Genus. 



Before leaving Hieksonella, however, it may be of interest to 

 consider some of the more characteristic features, for example : 

 (1) the distribution of the verruca?, and (2) the spiral form. Pro- 

 fessor Hickson (ii. p. 232), has drawn attention to these, and has 

 put forward several suggestions as to their possible origin, so that, 

 before taking each in detail, we shall quote his observations in full, 

 and so obviate any possibility of misinterpretation which might 

 result from detached references. 



" This bare track, i.e. the part devoid of polyps, is seen in 

 some other species of Juneella. In the description of J. juncea, 

 from the Isle of Bourbon, Milne-Edwards and Haime state that 

 the calices leave some trace of a median ccenenchymatous space. 

 Kidley also states that there is a distinct groove in the specimen of 

 J. juncea obtained by the ' Alert.' 



The squamate armature of the verrucas shows some affinities 

 with the characters of the Primnoidas, but, as the plate-like 

 spicules are so small and there are no definite opercular plates, its 

 affinities with Juneella are closer. It is noteworthy, however, that 

 in the Primnoine genus Calypterinus the calices do not occur on 

 one side of the stock. The track which is free from the calices in 

 Calypterinus, however, is covered by the overlapping scales of the 

 lateral calices so as to form a tube. These bare tracks on one side 

 of the stock in Juneella spiralis and Calypterinus allmani have a 

 certain resemblance to the bare tracks on one side of the smaller 

 branches of some forms of Solenocaulon, and suggest the presence 

 of symbiotic Crustacea. There is no evidence in support of this at 

 present, but it would be worth the trouble of any naturalist, who 

 has the opportunity of dredging in these waters, to note the 

 character of any Alpheidre or other animals that might possibly 

 live with this Juneella. Dr. Gilchrist's note that nothing was 

 found around which the stock twisted, is of the nature of a support 

 for the suggestion that the spiral form of the larger stocks is 

 associated with the presence of some epizoic animal. We may, for 

 the present, regard the spiral form and the bare track as characters 

 of the species, but if they prove to be mere adaptations to an 

 epizoic animal their importance must be considerably discounted." 



The question of the nature of the bare tract is of more than 

 passing importance, for if, as Professor Hickson suggests, it is due 

 to some epizoic animal, it must be discounted in any question of a 

 taxonomic nature. A study of the species which he has named 

 along with some others of a similar character, may, however, help 



