THE BEANCHING-SYSTEMS OE THE ALCYONACEA. 529' 



process pointing towards the axis of the anthodete. Average length of a double star, 

 measured from the tips of the elongated rays, 13 mm.; average thickness aci'oss the centre, 

 •03 to -04. mm. (fig. 13). Spicules of the tentacles irregular, flattened scales of various 

 form, generally elongated and hilobed at the two extremities ; their surfaces finely 

 sculptured ; length from '09 to "04 mm., width from '03 to Ol mm. Colour in spirit, 

 yellowish white; tentacles brown, llaljitat unknown. A single specimen in the British 

 Museum of Natural Histoiy, ^n-esented by J. B. Jukes, Esq. 



This species, thougli closely allied to, is sufiiciently distinct from the following, from 

 which it differs in habit, in the size of the branches acd anthocodiic, and in the details 

 of the spicules. 



3. Lemnalia peristyi.a, sp. nov. (PI. 40. fig. 3; PI. 41. figs. •), 14.) 



Stem stout, tapering slightly towards the base, dividing at difierent levels into four or 

 five branches, which pursue a vertical course for some distance before dividing into 

 terminal branches and branchlets bearing anthocodiie. The terminal branches and 

 branchlets lax and more closely crowded than in L. rhahdota. Anthocodite subsessile, 

 not projecting far from the surfiice of the branch, set rather close together on the 

 branchlets, with a tendency to form whorls. A terminal anthucodia to each branchlet, as 

 in L, rhahdota. Average diameter of the terminal anthocodia3 '75 mm. ; of the lateral 

 anthocodite "5 mm. ; diameter of the branchlets about 1"5 mm. Spicules of the stem and 

 branches of two kinds: — 1. Elongate fusiform, with scattered, slightly })rojecting warts; 

 lenrfth 5 to '6 mm. ; width "02 to "03 mm. 2. Modified double stars of the same oneneral 

 character as in L. rhahdota, but smaller, more slender, and AA'ith longer projecting rays ; 

 average length, measured from the tips of the elongated rays, -12 mm. ; average thickness 

 •02 mm. The tentacles have relatively few flat sculptured scales like those of L. rhahdota, 

 their place being taken by small fusiform spicules, furnished with two whorls of four rather 

 prominent spinous rays ; length of these spicules about '035 mm., breadth about -005 mm., 

 distance from end to end of oi)posite spines in a whorl '015 mm. Colour in spirit, 

 yellowish white ; tentacles light brown. Habitat : Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, 

 10 fathoms (' Challenger ' CoUectiou). 



The characters which separate this species from the preceding are the mode of 

 branching, the size of the anthocodiie, and the shape and size of the spicides. 



B. Anthocodia' pedicellate, home in racemes on the hranchlets. 



4. Lemnalia nitiua, Verrill. (Pi. 40. figs. 4, 5 ; PI. 41. figs. 10, 15 ; PI. 42. fig. 18.) 

 Ammothea nitldii, Verrill, Bull. Mas. Comp. Zool. Harvard, vol. i. p. 39. 



Lemnalia nitida, Gray, luc. tit. 



Anthodete consisting of a stout, smooth stem, some 8 to 9 mm. high by 6 to 7 mm. 

 broad; this, after attaining a height of 10 to 11 mm., again divides, generally dicho- 

 tomously, and the secondary branches thus formed subdivide two or three times to form 

 terminal branchlets, on which alone the anthocodiaj are borne. The branchlets curved 

 inward towards the axis of the anthodete. Anthocodise subglobose, shortly pedicelled, 

 borne terminally and laterally on the branchlets at intervals of 1 to 2 mm. ; the 



SECOND SERIES. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. VII. 73 



