THE ALCYONARIA OF THE MALDIVES. 511 



have free edges, but no filaments; the former are a trifle longer than the latter. The 

 dorsal mesenteries have grooved ciliated filaments. Ciliated transverse vessels between the 

 zooids are very numerous. The Internal Canal System is well marked. Yellow cells are 

 present as in iS'. glaucum. 



The autozooids are fairly large with well-marked characters. The diameter through the 

 crown of a completely retracted zooid is "8 — "9 mm., and of a fairly expanded zooid 1'2 mm. 

 The diameter gradually diminishes posteriorly so that some distance below the surface it is 

 sometimes difficult to distinguish between the cavity of an autozooid and that of a siphonozooid, 

 except in sections. The anthocodia of expanded autozooids average 3 mm. The tentacles are 

 short, pinnate, and blunt at the tip, averaging only '56 mm. in length. The stomodaeum 

 is long, with folded walls, and the siphonoglj'ph is not conspicuous. The eight mesenteries 

 are extremely well marked, the muscle bands being clearly seen in sections. Ova are present 

 on the mesenteries, measuring from '03 — "5 mm. in diameter. 



This species is interesting because of its lobed capitulum (Dana, fig. 7), and its warted 

 and zoned spicules (Whitelegge, Plate X. fig. 1). In both these respects it approaches the 

 genus Lobophytum. 



4. Sarcophytum boettc/eri. Schenk, 1896 (p. 72, Taf il. fig. 9, Taf iv. figs. 29 and 30), var. 



A single complete specimen was taken at the Suvadiva Atoll from a depth of 31 fathoms. 

 It agi-ees in many respects with Schenk's description of the species fi-om the Moluccas, but 

 differs from his specimen in size. The stalk is longer and more slender, the capitulum has 

 a smaller diameter, and is much thinner than in the type species. The colour is of a warmer 

 brownish shade, and the autozooids are slightly larger. 



The specimen is 50 mm. high. The stalk is 39 mm. long, 2.5 x 14 mm. broad at the 

 base, and gradually diminishing in diameter to 9 x 7 mm. 



The autozooids are about 2'5 mm. apart in the middle of the capitulum, but near the 

 margin they are much more closely set. Many are expanded and measure about 1 mm. 

 through the crown of tentacles. The siphonozooids are numerous, but so minute that they 

 are invisible to the naked eye. 



Owing to the presence of numerous large spicules near the surface of the capitulum 

 and throughout the stalk the colony is fairly hard to the touch, and is only very slightly 

 flexible. Near the base of the stalk there is a rhizome-like outgrowth which is attached 

 at its distal end to a fragment of a shell. This probably gives additional support to the 

 colony. A similar outgrowth is to be seen in a specimen of Sclerophytum durum (sp. nov. 

 p. 528) fi-om 24 fathoms, S. Nilandu. The colour in spirit is of a pale greyish-brown. 



The spicules near the surface of the capitulum are very closely packed. They are of 

 the tuberculate warted tj^e found throughout the genus Sclerophytum (figs. 20 and 31). They 

 vary in size, but the largest are about 1 mm. long by '1 mm. in diameter. They are similar 

 in form to those figured by Schenk, 1896 (fig. 28), but slightly larger. The spicules of 

 the coenenchym and of the autozooids are long, slender rods and spindles, some of the 

 latter with a few short spines. The largest of these spicules are about '5 mm. long by 

 •04 mm. broad. I have observed this form of spicule in every species of Sarcophytum which 

 I have examined (fig. 8). Most of the spicules of the stalk are like those near the surface 

 of the capitulum, but among them may be seen a few slender spiny spindles like those of 

 the coenenchym of the capitulum. They resemble those figured by Schenk (figs. 29 and 30). 



