REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 7 



Siphonogorgia kolUkeri, Wright and Stucler (PI. I. fig. 2; PI. V. fig. 3; PI. VI. figs. 

 4, 5). 



Siphonoijorgia kolUkeri, Wright and Studer, Zool. Chall. Exp., part lxiv. pp. 236, 276. 



Another perfect specimen of this species was found amongst a number of corals 

 collected in the Bay of Amboina. The dark red colony suggests in its appearance the 

 precious coral. It is 45 mm. high, spreading itself out from a short thick stem in five 

 branches lying in one plane, from which branches side twigs are given off at an obtuse 

 angle. The branches and twigs are rounded at their ends, bearing usually four polyps. 

 The other polyps spring chiefly from two sides of the somewhat flattened branches and 

 twigs at some distance apart from one another. The calyces are large, blunt, cone-shaped, 

 arising directly from the base of the branch. The whole colony is rigid and brittle, 

 owing to the presence of the numerous large spicules. 



Habitat. — Bay of Amboina. 



Siphonogorgia pustulosa, n. sp. (PI. II. figs, la, lb; PI. V. fig. 4). 



From a broad lobed base, which covered a piece of coral breccia, rises in a sinous course 

 a main axis, giving off branches at an angle of about 45° ; these, from two sides in the same 

 plane, give rise to secondary branches and twigs. The polyps are spirally arranged, their 

 calyces standing out, like yellow pustules on the coral-red ground of the branches. The 

 ccenenchyma is smooth. 



Unfortunately the two specimens are both broken so that the whole extent of the 

 colony cannot be determined. In one specimen the stem is 6 mm. thick at its lower 

 extremity. At a height of 49 mm. is a branch 5 mm. thick which bears on two sides 

 secondary branches 3 to 4 mm. in thickness. These are always produced at the base of 

 a branch from its under side, so that they have a bent course. The twigs are 3 mm. 

 thick at their extremities and are somewhat flattened. The main branches are 90 mm. 

 in length, the smaller reach 21 mm. 



The polyps are borne even upon the main axis ; on the branches and twigs they 

 are arranged in a spiral at intervals of 2 mm. The end of each twig bears four or 

 five polyps clustered together. The low conical calyces are erect, and have a diameter 

 of 1 mm. The oral region of the polyp is retracted as far as the margin of the folded 

 tentacles, but the margin of the calyx does not close over them, so that the star which is 

 formed by the tentacular lid can be seen from above. 



The canal system communicates with four central stem canals ; these are separated 

 by relatively thin septa, in which dark red spicules are embedded. Round these lies a 

 very thick cortex, beset with spicules, which in a branch of 4 mm. has a thickness of 

 1*5 mm. 



