THE ALCYONARIA OF THE MALDIVES. 525 



may, however, in many cases be seen as aggregations of ectoderm cells about the upper 

 terminal portions of the caeca. The average diameter of the transverse vessels is '16 mm. 



The internal canal system does not differ in any important respect from that of other 

 species. The vessels of this system gradually become larger as they approach the surface. 

 Many of the longitudinal vessels terminate in the superficial canals. 



Zoochlorellae are present in considerable numbers in the endoderm and lumen of the 

 superficial canals, but they are not so numerous as in 8c. gardineri. 



This species is interesting because in many respects it forms an important link between 

 Sc. capitate, densum, hirtum, and palmatuin, which have clearly marked but degenerate 

 siphonozooids, and Sc. gardineri which has no siphonozooids. In Sc. polydactylum the auto- 

 zooids are small and appear to be slightly degenerate in the small size of the tentacles, 

 and in the feebly-marked ventral and lateral mesenterial filaments. There are no siphonozooids 

 which are functional as such, but traces of these individuals remain as the vertical caeca 

 from the transverse vessels of the superficial canal system. Zoochlorellae are abundant in 

 the endoderm and lumen of the superficial canals, and to a certain extent in the endo- 

 dermal tissues of the zooids, but they are not nearly so numerous as in the more degenerate 

 Sc. gardineri. 



12. Sclerophytum palmatum sp. nov. (PI. XXX. fig. 26 and PI. XXXI. fig. 27). 

 A single well-preserved specimen was taken in shallow water from Hulule, Male Atoll 

 (fig. 26). 



The colony is erect, branched, and shows a marked lateral compression. It is 95 mm. 

 high and the capitulum is 35 x 17 mm. in diameter. The stalk is 53 mm. in length and 

 is 19 X 8"5 mm. in diameter. The capitulum is divided near its base into two large primary 

 branches, one of which is 36 mm. in length, and 10 x 11 mm. in diameter, the other is 

 33 mm. in length and 14 x 11 mm. in diameter. These branches give off numerous secondary 

 branches which vary in length and thickness. The stalk, the capitulum, and all the faii'ly 

 large lobes exhibit the same lateral compression. The specimen is tough and fleshy in 

 consistency. The lobes are soft and flexible. 



The colour in spirit is bluish-green, with irregular brown patches on the stalk and 

 about the base of the lobes. The bluish-green colour is confined to the surface of the colony 

 and is only to be observed between the autozooids. The colour is not affected by dilute 

 borax-carmine, but takes up Delafield's haematoxylin and alum, iron brazilin, and strong 

 borax-carmine stains fairly readily. 



The spicules are similar in form and size to those of other species of the genus (fig. 20). 

 Immediately below the surface there is a thin layer of clubs averaging '13 mm. in length 

 by '003 mm. in breadth, and slender spindles averaging -07 x '003 mm. The spicules of the 

 coenenchym are not numerous and are all of the tuberculate warted type characteristic of 

 the genus. The spindles average 3 mm. in length and -4 mm. in breadth ; a few are irregu- 

 larly branched. The spicules of the stalk are similar to those of the capitulum. 



The autozooids are of a pale brown colour, and are almost uniformly scattered over 

 the whole of the capitular surface (fig. 26). There are usually from 7 — 8 to 10 mm. Many 

 of the autozooids are almost fully expanded, and are situated on small raised rounded areas, 

 which are not indicated in the drawing. 



