139 



'' Chironephthya siphonogorgica, n. sp. 



" Branches few in iiuiiil)ei', directed obliquely upwards and not further sub- 

 divided. Polyps l)()rne directly on main stem and branches. Each polyp com- 

 pletely retractile within a definite calyx, which can be closed over the retracted 

 polyp. Spicules of stem and branches disposed longitudinally and somewhat 

 loosely packed together. Stem spicules bright coral-red ; polyp spicules bright 

 yellow ; tentacles colourless. 



" Hah. : Two specimens from Bay of Bengal." 



" Siphonogorgia rotunda, n. sp. 



"Stem and branches solid, smooth, rounded; branching not very great. 

 Polyps borne all round stem, main and sub-branches ; lower part of stem barren. 

 Polyps nearly completely retractile, borne at right angles to stem and branches. 

 In the polyp there are about five spicules in each point directed vertically 

 upwards, below these about eight spicules arranged " en chevron," and below 

 these a crown of about six transverse rows. 



" Colour — Stem and branches flesh-coloured ; polyps white. 



''Hah.: Bay of Bengal." 



GENUS SCLERONEPHTHYA, Wright and Studer. 

 Scleronephthya flexilis, n. sp. 



There are in the collection several small colonies of a pale brown colour 

 and also one dark brown or almost black, which we refer 

 to a new species of Sderouephthiia. They are consecu- 

 tively 45 mm., 40 mm. and 70 mm. in height. All are 

 expanded more or less in one plane. The largest is 45 

 mm. in breadth and about 20 mm. in thickness. The 

 main stem gives origin to a few large lobes, Init in ad- 

 dition to this there arise a large number of small polyp- 

 bearing lobes both on the main stem and on the primary 

 lobes. The whole colony is much corrugated, but this 

 may be due in part at least to " rigor mortis ". 



Polyps occur in clusters or singly over the main 

 stem and lobes, luit in several places a bare strip occurs. 

 The canal system agrees with the description given by 

 Wright and Studer for the genus, and there is a hint of a 

 central axis — at least a union of certain of the central 

 canal walls with a consequent reduction or abolition, of 

 the cavities. The canals are somewhat radially arranged 

 and are polygonal in shape (see Wright and Studer, "'Challenger' Report," 



Fig. 68. Scleronephthya 

 flexilis, n. sp. 



