12 



the mode of branching, the nature of the spiculation, and other features separ- 

 ate Studeriotes from A Ici/onimn and several nearly related genera. »So we might 

 review all the genera of Alcyoniidtie, but to little profit, for there is only one 

 which can be thought of as having close affinities with our new type. That 

 one is the genus Fanilri/onlmn, established by Milne-Edwards. Milne-Edwards 

 gave the following diagnosis of P((r((Icyonimn : " Polyparium of a coriaceous 

 tissue towards the base and there forming a cylindrical tube with spiculose 

 walls, into the interior of which all the upper and soft part of the polyparium, 

 including the polyps themselves, can be completely retracted " (" Histoire 

 Naturelle des Coralliaires," 1857, p. 129). 



In his original description of Piindriiouiiiiu, when he called it Alcyonide 

 ("Ann. Sci. Nat.," ser. 2, iv. (1835), pp. 323-33 (9 figs.)), Milne-Edwards gave a 

 number of interesting details. He distinguished a brown firm " foot" fixed by 

 its base, and a white, delicate, l)ranched trunk with twigs ending in small 

 polyps. The cavities of the polyps unite in forming longitudinal canals which 

 are continued to the base, tho.se which lie to the outside having their walls 

 strengthened by numerous brown spindles. Ova are developed on lamelhe 

 in the lower part of the canals of the trunk and fall into the cavity, accumu- 

 lating further down. On the polyps there are, according to Milne-Edwards, 

 rows of "spicules cartilagineuses brunatres". 



Wright and Studer gave the following definition of Paralcyonium in the 

 "'Challenger' Report" on Alcyonarians (1889): "The colony presents two 

 distinct portions : one, the basal portion, is dense, with firm walls ; the other, 

 the head, alone bears the polyps, and can be in part withdrawn into the basal 

 part. The polyp-bearing portion is but feebly lobed." In his " Versuch eines 

 Systemes der Alcyonaria " (" Arch. Naturges.," liii. (1887)), Studer had suggested 

 affinity with Nidalia. 



Our new type StndeHotes agrees with Paralcjionima (1) in having the polyp- 

 bearing portion retractile into the basal portion ; (2) in the dis[)osition of the 

 longitudinal canals, and (3) in having very large fusiform spicules. But there 

 the resemblance stops, and there can be no question as to the distinctiveness of 

 the two very remarkable genera. 



The most obvious differences between Studeriotes and Parcdciioimun may 

 be summed up in the following contrast : — 



Studeriotes mirabilis. Paralcyoiiiivni eleijans. 



The polyps are crowded on numer- The polyps are distant from one 



ous finger-like branches, which cover another, and are borne on the ends 



a central dome, and also grow out from of the twigs of a loosely-branched 



the inner walls of the cup. polyparium. 



