250 



thick and rough ; it contains large, rather broad irregular spindles, 2"8 mm. x 0'3 

 mm., 2 mm. x 0'4 mm. and 0"36 mm. x 007. The verructe are steep truncate 

 cones with projecting points around the apex ; the spicules are arranged longi- 

 tudinally. The polyps arise in a steep spiral or are irregularly alternate on the 

 lateral surfaces of the twigs. The collaret consists of one or tiro rows, and 

 standing upon this are the eight points each containing tiro spindles forming 

 a triangle with the collaret ; on the aboral surface of the tentacles there is a band 

 o/longit/fdinalli/ arranged colourless spicules, 01 to 0'15 mm. in length and 0'02 mm. 

 in breadth ; in some this definite arrangement is not so visible. The axis is 

 horny with ?i faintly striated surface. The colour is rose-red. 

 Localities : Andamans ; Bay of Bengal, 88 fathoms. 



Muricella rubra, Thomson. 



/M. rubra, Thomson. "Ceylon Pearl Oyster Fisheries." Supplementary 

 Rq/ rp, XXVIIL, Alcyonaria— Appendix, Roy. Soc, 1905, p. 179. 



Branching irregular in one plane ; branches arise at varying angles and 

 bend in all directions. There is a re?-y marked/fattening of the stem and larger 

 branches in the plane of ramification. The ccenenchyma is fairly thin and eren ; 

 in the younger portions the spicules are larger and arranged more longitudinally 

 than in the main stem and larger branches. The axis is horny and slightly 

 flexible, brown at the base fading to yellow in the twigs. The verrucfe are 

 small truncated cones embedded in the coenenchynia. In some specimens the 

 main stem and large branches are devoid of polyps, in others they are irregularly 

 covered with them ; on the secondary branches they occur all round, while in 

 the twigs they are sub-alternate on the lateral surfaces. Tentacular operculum 

 feeble ; collaret of two or three rows, points of ahout four spicules " en chevron ". 

 The spicules of the verrucfe are smaller than those of the ccenenchyma. In 

 some they are disposed in eight groups, in others this is not so marked. 



Locality : Ceylon Seas, Andamans, off Ganjam Coast, 18 fathoms. 



Species of Muricella in this Collection. 



Muricella complanata, Wright and Studer. 

 Plate V. figs. 10a and 10b. 



Belonging to this species there are two complete colonies each with a basal 

 disc of attachment. The larger specimen is 80 mm. in height and 100 mm. in 

 maximum breadth ; the general colour is rose-pink, but the verrucie and polyps 

 are pale yellow ; the smaller is 70 mm. in height and 95 mm. in breadth ; it is 

 purplish-red with yellow polyps. In both cases the spicules are darker in 

 colour towards the base. The branching is predominantly in one plane, but an 



