36 Thomson, South African Gorgonacea. 



Gorgonia -fiavimea, Ellis and Solander. 



Flate /., Figs, j and 7; Plate IV., Fig. 6. 



The specimen is incomplete. The basal branches are 

 flattened, the upper branches cylindrical, the white polyps 

 occurring profusely on all sides. The branching is m one 

 plane, and the branches do not as a rule stand opposite one 

 another ; they arc flexible, and do not anastomose. The speci- 

 men is well expanded, the mouths of the polyps are frequently 

 open, and the tentacles and pinnules are well extended. The 

 coenenchyme is thick, and this gives the colony a fleshy appear- 

 ance. The surface of the coenenchyme is only very slightly 

 granular. The horny axis is black near the base, but brown 

 in the upper parts of the colony. The specimen is only part 

 of a colony, and therefore general measurements are not given, 

 but we know that this species may grow to an immense size. 

 The coenenchyme is sometimes about 1.5 mm. in thickness. 

 The distance between the expanded polyps varies slightly, in 

 some cases it was about i mm. The apices of the branches are 

 not pointed to any extent, but are more or less rounded, about 

 four polyps usually occur at the apex of a branch. The polyps 

 are apparently arranged in close-set spirals, and the openings 

 through which the white polyps protrude are circular or oval 

 in shape. There are, apparently, no spicules in the polyps, 

 about ten pairs of pinnules occur in each tentacle. The calyces 

 are only minute non-differentiated elevations of the surface 

 coenenchyme, which cannot be distinguished with the naked 

 eye. The horny axis apparently remains flat throughout the 

 different parts of the colony. The spicules are double spindles, 

 and their length is about 0.06 mm. 



Locality, etc. — Pieter Faurc, No. 706. Lat., 33° 53' 15" S. 

 Long., 25° 51' 45" E. Depth, 26 fathoms, by large trawl. 

 Nature of bottom, sand. December 6th, 1898. P. F., 18,381. 

 Flesh Point N., f- W., 6^, miles. By large trawl. January 

 15th, 1904. 



As there are no really good figures of well-preserved 

 examples of this species I have pleasure in using the beautiful 

 sketches made by the late Mr. Davidson at the LTniversity of 

 Aberdeen. 



Gorgonia albicans, Kollikcr. 



From Gordon's Bay. Depth, 6-14 fathoms. Collected 

 by dredge. Nature of bottom, rocks. Date, October 20th, 

 1902. 



This species has already been recorded by Hickson from 

 Port Alfred and Cape St. Blaizc. 



Gorgonia, sp. 

 Plafc IV., Fig. J. 

 A single incomplete specimen of a yellow Gorgonia. It 



