8 Thomson, South Africaji Ciorgonacea. 



tentacles are as stated previously, with a great Dreponder- 

 ance of simple and straight curved spindles, the largest 

 of which are about 0.36 x 0.036. D. : The spicules of the calyx 

 as stated previously, with a greater predominance of clubs, the 

 largest about 0.18 x o.ogo. E. : Smooth rods, with rounded 

 ends from the axial part, from 0.063 x 0.006 to 0.104 x o.cog. 

 Locality, etc. P.P. 13,549. Kuskamma Pt. N.E. by E. 5 mi. 

 Depth, 33 fathoms. By dredge. Nature of bottom, broken 

 shells and rocks Date, August 27th, igoi. 

 . P. F., No. 11,315. Tugela River mouth, N. by W., J W., 15.^ 

 miles. By shrimp trawl. Depth, 40 fathoms. Nature of 

 bottom, mud. Date, January loth, 1901. 



I name this species after Sir Pieter Fauie, who as Minister 

 of Agriculture at the Cape, showed great interest in the de- 

 velopment of the Fisheries, and in the Marine Investigations, 

 and after whom the Government trawler — the " Pieter Faure" 

 was named. 



Melitodes grandis, sp.n. 



Generic Characters. — The polyps have projecting calyces. 

 The branching is most frequently from the nodes, sometimes 

 from the internodes. The large basal nodes are penetrated by 

 canals, the internodes are not perforated by channels. The 

 polyps are not widely separated, but are close together. The 

 branching is dichotomous, and the branches spread out to some 

 extent in parallel rows over one another. The polyps arise 

 on three sides of the lower stem and shoots, on all sides of 

 the upper branches; the calyces are low. The arrangement of 

 the polyps is not bi.serial. The upper branches are not flat- 

 tened. 



. Specific characters. — The specimen has from its mode of 

 branching a bushy appearance. There is a slight amount of 

 anastomosis. The lower stem and branches are slightly flat- 

 tened, the upper are more cylindrical. The internodes are 

 5-12 mm. in length, the longer being in the higher branches. 

 The larger nodes near the base are as much as g mm. in length 

 and 8 by 6mm. in diameter. The nodes are smaller in the 

 upper parts of the colony, in the upper branches they are 

 scarcely visible externally, partly because the brown colour is 

 not present. The polyps vary in size according to the degree 

 of extension, some are i mm,, in height, and about the same 

 in diameter; the calyces are -0 to f mm. high. 



Notes. — This is one of the largest specimens of Melitodes 

 on record; it is at least 24cm. in height, 12cm. broad, and 

 4 cm. wide. It is very strong in habit near the bas.e, but the 

 upper branches are more slender and fragile, many of the latter 

 being broken off in the preserved specimen. The general 

 ground colour is white, the nodes arc brown, especially near the 



