808 SYDNEY J. HICKSON. 



by Mr Gardiner. The absence of Isidae however is noteworthy. Isis was described by 

 Steenstrup (fide W. and S.) from the Indian Ocean. It is common in some shallow water 

 localities in the Pacific Ocean and coasts of the Malay archipelago. 



As regards the absence of Plexauridw and Gorgoniidae it may be remarked that, although 

 there are no pronounced types of these families in the collection, some of the specimens 

 approach them very closely in their general characters. One specimen of Gorgonella 

 verriculaia, for example, has such a thick coenenchym and such a black flaky axis that it 

 would have been placed with certainty in the family Plexauridae had it not been found 

 in the same collection with the other specimen which is clearly a Gorgonella. The new 

 speciea Elasmogorgia flexilis again might with justice be placed in the family Gorgoniidae, 

 the slight roughness of the surface being the only character at present known which justifies 

 the inclusion of the genus in the family Muriceidae. The boundary line between the family 

 Muriceidae and the Gorgoniidae and that between the Plexauridae and the Gorgonellidae are 

 quite artificial ; and it is probable that a rearrangement of the genera included in these 

 four families will be found necessary in the near future. 



The species of Gorgonacea described in this paper are 



Family Muriceidae. 



Acanthogorgia flabellum n. sp. 

 Behryce sp. ? 



Acamptogorgia horrida n. sp. 

 Elasmogorgia flexilis n. sp. 

 Muricella perramosa (Ridley). 

 Acis sp. ? 



Family Gorgonellidae. 



Gorgonella verriculaia (M. E. and H.). 

 Juncella juncea (Pall). 

 Juncella flexilis (Studer). 

 Juncella elongata (Val). 

 Scirpearia f areata n. sp. 

 Scirpearella indica n. sp. 



Family Melitodidae. 



Melitodes variabilis n. sp. 



I have also described briefly the only Pennatulid sent to me, 



Pennatida murrayi Kolliker, 



and a specimen of Nephthyid I received too late to be included in Part I, 



Eunephthya maldivensis n. sp. 



The species of the family 



Briareidae 



were described in Part I (9). 



