REPORT ON THE ANTIPATHARIA. 105 



ma) 7 be occasionally opposite. The main branches have a diameter almost equal to that of 

 the stem at their respective points of 'origin, and may be 10 cm. long. They usually 

 bear one to four branchlets at right angles, scarcely any two of which extend in the same 

 plane. Some are directed downwards, others horizontally, and others again take a 

 subvertical direction. In another portion of a stem (?) parallel to the longer one, and 

 fused to it by a transverse branch, the branches sometimes form a marked acute angle 

 with the axis, and in one instance three elongate branchlets arise close together. With 

 these exceptions, two most marked characters of the species are (l) the rectangular mode 

 of branching, and (2) the relatively distant, elongate, and usually simple branchlets 

 frequently directed downwards. The only fusion present in the whole specimen is the 

 one already referred to, by which one stem (?), through the agency of two of its branches, 

 becomes fused to the one forming the greater part of the specimen. The spines are strong, 

 triangular, and much compressed, with the apex more turned upwards in some than in 

 others. No spiral arrangement is noticeable, but the spines are arranged in longitudinal 

 rows, seven or eight of which may be seen from one aspect. The rows in some instances 

 seem to be paired, that is, two spines in adjoining rows are opposite to each other. 

 PI. XL fig. 9 represents one full cycle of the arrangement from the upper pair of spines 

 adjoining the middle line to the pair beneath them. The spines have a length corre- 

 sponding to about half the diameter of the axis, and the members of a row are very 

 distant, usually separated by an interval equal to two and a half to three times their length. 

 The polyps of the type specimen are very badly preserved, so that I have been unable 

 to make a microscopic examination of them. They are evidently rather large and 

 prominent ; about three are arranged to a centimetre. The position of this species is 

 uncertain pending an examination of the polyps. The spines are evidently of the 

 Antipathes type and are similar in shape to those of Antipathes arborea, Dana, as figured 

 by Pourtales. 



Habitat. — Mediterranean (Koch) Brit. Mus.; in 32 to 54 fathoms, on rocks covered 

 with Corallines, Naples Zool. Stat. 



Genus Antipathella, n. gen. 



Antipathes (pars), Auctt. 



Rhipjidipathi's (jiars), M. -Edwards, Coralliaires, t. i. p. 320. 



Zooids small, usually somewhat longer in the transverse axis, so that the tentacles are 

 arranged biradially or in two parallel rows of three each. The stomodasum is elongated 

 in the sagittal axis, the mouth usually but not invariably so. Sometimes the upper 

 portion of the stomodaeum is everted, in which case the mouth is rounded with a crenate 

 inner margin. The tentacles are usually short and subequal, but those in the sagittal 

 axis may be inserted at a slightly lower level than the others. There are ten mesenteries 

 in the oral prominence, and six below, as in Antipathes. The reproductive elements are 



(zool. chall. exp. — PAET LXXX. — 1889.) Llll 1-1 



