THE ALCYONARIA OF THE MALDIVES. 813 



more frequently under 1 mm. in height. In the literature of the subject there is very little 

 reference to the structure of the axis. It is usually described as being horny (Hedlund, 

 Wright and Studer), and it is horny and fibrous in the specimens of A. armata from the 

 Cape (8), and A. spinosa from Funafuti, which I have had the opportunity to examine. The 

 species therefore in this respect seems to be peculiar. 



In a genus with such variable spicules as Acanthogorgia it is difficult to determine species 

 or to consider the relations of species by this character alone. The spicules of the new 

 species are not unlike some of those figured by Hedlund from A. aspera, but they also 

 resemble the spicules described by Ridley (19) from Echinogorgia flahellum, and by Kolliker (13) 

 fi'om Paramuricea spinosa. Studer (22) has some hesitation in accepting the identification of 

 Hedlund's species as A. aspera (Pourt), but the figures Studer gives of Acanthogorgia horrida 

 have a general family resemblance to those of Hedlund's A. aspera and of A. flahellum. As a 

 matter of fact it is really very difficult to draw any important distinction between the spicules 

 of Paramuricea, Echinogorgia and Acanthogorgia, and there can be no doubt that the three 

 genera are closely related. I had some hesitation in placing the new species in the genus 

 Acanthogorgia, thinking it might be the same as the Indian species Paramuricea cancellata of 

 Studer {Echinogorgia flabellum Ridley), but an examination of Ridley's specimen in the British 

 Museum convinced me that it is more correctly placed in the genus Acanthogorgia. Of the 

 species of Acanthogorgia it seems to be most closely related to Hedlund's A. inermis fi-om 

 30 fathoms off Hong Kong. 



The species may briefly be described as follows : Colony branching in one plane to form 

 a reticulate flabellum. Coenenchym thin. Anthocodiae small, "5 — 1 mm. in height. Axis with 

 a core of calcareous beads. 



Behryce, sp. ? 

 Locality. S. Nilandu, 30 fathoms. S. Passage of Atoll. 



One small fragment of a Gorgonian having a superficial resemblance to a Muricella 

 perramosa, but light bro^^ii in colour instead of crimson-red, belongs probably to a species of 

 Bebryce. 



The specimen is 50 mm. in height and bears three short branches formed probably by 

 dichotomy. The diameter of the branches is 1'75 mm. Many of the Zooids are only partially 

 retracted, the whole of the calyx being above the surface of the coenenchym, but in other places 

 the coenenchym almost completely covers the calyx, forming verrucae 1 mm. in height. The 

 axis is horny, fibrous, not calcareous. 



The remarkable character of the spicules is one of the features of the genus, and the 

 spicules of this specimen agree fairly well with the description and size given by Kolliker (13). 



The genus has been found in the Mediterranean {B. mollis von Koch, 12) and a new 



species was described by Whitelegge (25) from Funafuti B. studeri. The Maldive specimen does 



not belong probably to either of these species, but as it is so fi-agmentary I do not feel 

 justified in making a new species for it. 



If Whitelegge and I are correct in referring our specimens to this genus, its geographical 

 distribution is most remarkable. 



