80 



Nicella flabellata ( = VcrmceUa Jiabellata, W'liitclo^ge). 



A small colony without basal attachment, ochreous-yellow to brownish -white 

 ill colour, about 95 mm. in height. 



Most of the branches arise from one side of the main stem, which has a zig- 

 zag course. The branches are slender, somewhat swollen at the tip, and confined 

 to one plane. Most of the secondary branches are given off from one side of the 

 primary branches. 



The axis is horny and markedly calcareous, somewhat flattened in the plane 

 of branching, with a shallow groove on the flattened faces. At the lower end it 

 has a diameter of 2 mm. 



The polyps occur in a sinuous row on each side of the younger branches ; on 

 the stem and on the older jjortions of branches they are more numerous and 

 encroach on the two flattened surfaces, always leaving the slight median depres- 

 sion free. Those on opposite sides alternate. 



The verrucEe are low conical warts, with the polyps comjjletely retracted. 

 In other species oi Nicella the verrucas stand out more prominently ; but we dis- 

 regard this difference, as we have seen in other Gorgonellids that the prominence 

 of the verructie varies greatly according to the state of retraction and mode of 

 preservation. The verrucse are formed of spicules similar to those of the general 

 ccenenchyma, and when the polyp is completely retracted they show no ray- 

 shaped marking at the apex. They are about 1 mm. in height. The smaller 

 branches, where tlie size of the verrucse is large in proportion to the diameter of 

 the branch, have an undulating contour. 



The coeuenchyma is fairly thick, and has two layers of spicules. Next the 

 axis the soft tissue of the ccenenchyma is very dark brown. 



The spicules are small double clubs with warty projections and spindles. 

 Some of the spindles are relatively broad, blunt at the ends, and closely covered 

 with warts, others are very slender and sharp-pointed, and have relatively few 

 spiny projections. A few showed a minute free space at the middle. The follow- 

 ing measurements were taken of length and l)readth in millimetres : 



1. Small double clubs, 0-05 x 0-03 ; 0-04 x 0-03. 

 •2. Spindles, 0-1 9x0-04 : 0-14x0-03; 0-09x0-02. 



The specimen is practically the same as Whitelegge's Verrucella flahellata, 

 l)ut it seems to us that this should liave been placed in the genus Nicella. 



Locality : Andamans ; 270-45 fathoms. • 



Previously recorded from Funafuti. 



