REPORT ON THE ANTIPATHARIA. 171 



with a well-marked dextrorsal curvature. They are very closely packed, and arranged 

 subspirally around the axis. The arched branches bear a double alternate row of 

 branchlets on the anterolateral margins, which in turn bear a number of simple or 

 branched pinnules on the anterior margin. The paniculate branches may be 6 cm. long 

 and 4 cm. across the branchlets. The stem may be 60 cm. or more in length. The 

 length of the branches does not always bear a definite relation to the length of the stem. 

 There are several specimens of this species in the British Museum. Two from Mauritius 

 are 60 cm. long; one has a diameter across the branches of 12"5 cm., the other only 

 9 cm. In the former the stem bifurcates near the apex, in the latter the stem is simple. 

 In other cases the stem may be continued in a vertical direction, and give rise to from two 

 to four strong branches of no great length, each of which bears the same arrangement of 

 branches and branchlets as the main stem. The diameter of the corallum varies little, 

 excepting near the apex, where the branches gradually become shorter. This species, on 

 account of its closely-set paniculate branches, has a general resemblance to a bottle-brush. 

 It may readily be distinguished from other species having the same type of corallum by 

 its arched branches, all of which have a marked dextrorsal curvature. The spines are 

 subcylindrical and slightly hooked upwards, the lower margin distinctly convex, the 

 upper only slightly concave, having a length about equal to half the diameter of the 

 axis. They are arranged in irregular dextrorse spirals, and also in longitudinal rows, 

 six or seven of which may be seen from one aspect. The members of a row are separated 

 from each other by a space equal to or exceeding the length of a spine (PI. XL fig. 21). 

 Zooids not known. 



Var. paniculata, Esper. 



Under the name Antipathes paniculata, Esper described a form simdar to the 

 typical Antipathes abies but having more elongate branches. Lamarck considered 

 this form to be referable to Antipathes cupressina, Pallas ( = Antipathes abies (Linn.) ), 

 but Dana thought the two forms might be distinct. A specimen in the British 

 Museum referable to Esper's species is 48 cm. long. It differs only from typical 

 Antipathes abies (Linn.), in having longer and more lax branches, the basal portions of 

 which are usually devoid of branchlets. The arrangement of spines is the same in both 

 forms. The branches vary from 8 to 18 cm. in length. On account of the greater and 

 more irregular development of the branches, this form does not at first recall the " bottle- 

 brush " type, but can only rank as a variety. 



Habitat. — Type. — Indian Ocean (Pallas); Banda Sea, &c. (Esper); Pkdippines(Gray), 

 Mauritius, 70 fathoms (Brit. Mus.). 



Var. paniculata. — Banda Sea (Esper); Ceylon (Ondaatje), Brit. Mus. 



