76 SEWERAGE OF THE CAPE PENINSULA. 



In conclusion I would remark that this sewerage question 

 is closely bound up with another and verv important one. 

 viz. : Tlie unification of the Municipalities in the Cape Penin- 

 sula. One strong administrative body would be in a much 

 better position to deal with the problem than are the existing 

 small Municipalities. The importance of the matter was re- 

 cognised by the appointment of a Government Commission as 

 far back as 1902, which, after exhaustive investigation, strongly 

 recommended a scheme of unification. Nothing has, how- 

 ever, resulted, and it seems to me that, in the general and 

 public health interests of the community, tlie time has arrived 

 for a definite re-opening and re-consideration ot this question^ 



SOUTH AFRICAN ALCYONARIA.— Dr. J. Stuart 

 Thomson. F.L.S., has communicated to the Royal Society of 

 Edinburgh the first of a series of papers which he intends to 

 issue on the subject of South African Alcyonaria. The collec- 

 tions were made under the auspices of the Cape Government 

 during a term of several years, and the author acknowledges 

 *a grant of £20 from the vSouth African Association for the 

 Advancement of Science towards his expenses. In his paper. 

 Dr. Thomson confines himself to the consideration of the 

 Alcyonacea, the work on which was carried on in the Zoo- 

 logical Institute and Museum of Natural History at Berne. 

 Thirteen species are described, of which the following had 

 previously been undescribed : — BcUonclla studcri, from St. 

 Francis Bay, near Port Elizabeth; Metalcyonium natalensis, 

 from the Umhloti River mouth. Natal: Alcyomum fauri, from 

 the vicinity of Cape St. Blaize. Mossel Bay; Alcyonimn 

 rotiferuni, from Keiskamma Point, Capncila gUchristi, from 

 the neighbourhood of Cape Morgan, and MaJacucanthus rufus, 

 found near Seal Island in False Bay. The paper was accom- 

 panied by a large number of photographs and sketches. 



