238 



diameter. The authocodios are almost completely retractile and bear an oper- 

 culum consisting of eight groups of two to three spicules with no definite 

 arrangement. The polyps are white in colour. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma are crimson in colour and are densely 

 covered with spinose warts ; those of the anthocodise are colourless and spiny. 

 The following are the chief types, with measurements length by breadth in 

 millimetres : — 



{a) Coenenchyma : Large scales, 2 x 0'8 ; 1'2 x 0'6. 

 Small irregular discs, 0'3 x 0"15. 

 Forms approaching spindles, 1'8 x 03 ; 1'5 x 0*4. 

 Spindles, 2 x 0-25 ; 1x0-2; 0-8 x OlS ; 0-6 x Ol. 

 Smaller spiny spindles, 0-3 x O'l ; 0-2 x 0'075. 

 (Ij) Anthocodiie : Spiny or slightly warty spindles, straight or " golf-club " 



shaped, Oo x 075 ; 2:3 x O'OG. 

 Locality : Andamans. 



Another colony 150 mm. in length and 60 mm. in breadth is also branched 

 in one plane. The branching is vei-y irregular and the sinuous character of the 

 branches is a marked feature. The axis of the main stem is brown and hard, 

 and has a diameter of about 3 mm. ; it diminishes to an almost thread-like 

 fineness in the twigs where it is pale yellow and very soft and compressible. 

 The polyi^s are disposed more laterally than in the other specimen, but in many 

 cases they occur on three surfaces, leaving sometimes one surface, sometimes the 

 other, free, but never both. C'irripede galls occur on the branches and are 

 overgrown by polyp-bearing coenenchyma.. 

 Locality ; Andamans. 



GENUS ELASMOGORGIA, Wright and Studer. 

 Elasmogorgia filiformis, Wright and Studer. 



To this species must be referred five long thread-like specimens. Unfortun- 

 ately only one can be regarded as complete, the remainder being broken at 

 one or other of the ends. 



The perfect specimen is 270 mm. in length and 1 mm. in diameter, and 

 is attached to a shell. It bears a short branch, 28 mm. long, at a distance of 40 

 mm. from the base. The others are all simple and have a length of 260, 240, 

 160 and 100 mm. resjjectively. 



The diameter scarcely varies in any of them except near the growing point 

 of the colony where it is slightly club-shaped. 



The coenenchyma is thin and is built up of long, slender, slightly warty 

 spindles arranged longitudinally. On the greater part of the surface it is level, 



