85 



In adition to the embryos 1 have found in the polyp 

 cavities a few ova. These are on an average 0.12 mm. in 

 diameter. I cannot tell in what stage they are, but judging 

 from the nucleus alone it appears probable that they are 

 nearly mature. On searching through a great many sections 

 I can find no trace of any intermediate stages between these 

 immature ova and the sterrula larvae. 



As regards the anatomy of the polyps, all that can be said 

 at present is that there is a very^ long stomodaeum, which 

 bears on the ventral side a well marked siphonoglyph. 



The specimen was dredged on June 8th, 1898. — that is, 

 three weeks earlier than the specimens of Gorgonia flammea. 

 The facts of the sexuality of the genus so far ascertained sug- 

 gest one or two inquiries for those who have the opportunity 

 of working in the same field. It would be interesting to know 

 if the phenomenon of viviparity is peculiar to Gorgonia 

 capensis which has hitherto been found only at a depth of 

 40 fathoms, and whether the time of sexual maturity of the 

 two species is. as the facts suggest, the early weeks of June. 

 It is also very desirable to determine the character and history 

 of the eggs of Gorgonia flammea. 



FAM. : GORGONELLIDAE. 



JUNCELLA ELONGATA (PaLLAS). PlATE V. D. 



Owing to the very imperfect state of our knowledge of the 

 Juncella group of Alcyonarians, I have considerable hesita- 

 tion in naming the two specimens of the genus sent to me 

 from the Cape. The specimens are 250 mm. and 300 mm. 

 in length respectively, the larger l^-anching dichotomously 

 into seven branches, the longest unbranched free end being 

 150 mm. in length. 



Both specimens are imperfect, the base being wanting. 

 The thickest part of the stem is 7 mm. in diameter, and the 

 branches terminate bluntly wath an apical diameter of 3 mm. 



In the parts of the branches with a diameter of 4 mm. the 

 diameter of the axis is 2 mm. 



The surface of the coenenchym is almost smooth, but in the 

 smaller specimen there are slight verruciform projections. 

 In the fragment of the stem of the larger specimen there are 

 faint spiral lines. 



