﻿ALCYONARIA. 
  335 
  

  

  leaves 
  are 
  inserted. 
  Total 
  length 
  26 
  millim., 
  length 
  of 
  leaf-bearing 
  

   portion 
  12 
  millim., 
  greatest 
  diameter 
  8 
  millim. 
  Bleeker's 
  speci- 
  

   mens 
  were 
  collected 
  at 
  Java. 
  

  

  Uab. 
  Arafura 
  Sea 
  off 
  N.W. 
  coast 
  of 
  Australia, 
  32-36 
  fms. 
  

  

  8. 
  Vir^laria, 
  sp. 
  

  

  A 
  specimen 
  in 
  a 
  very 
  imperfect 
  condition, 
  but 
  evidently 
  repre- 
  

   senting 
  a 
  delicate 
  species 
  with 
  large, 
  partially 
  separate 
  zooids, 
  

   whose 
  centre 
  is 
  occupied 
  by 
  a 
  broad 
  dark-purple 
  band, 
  the 
  proximal 
  

   and 
  distal 
  ends 
  being 
  pale 
  yellowish 
  (in 
  spirit). 
  The 
  leaves 
  have 
  a 
  

   very 
  oblique 
  direction 
  on 
  the 
  stem, 
  and 
  leave 
  bare 
  a 
  wide 
  dorsal 
  

   area 
  : 
  they 
  are 
  subalternate 
  and 
  just 
  overlap 
  each 
  other 
  in 
  front. 
  

  

  The 
  axis 
  is 
  only 
  about 
  '9 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Arafura 
  Sea, 
  N.W. 
  coast 
  of 
  Australia, 
  32-36 
  fms. 
  

  

  GORGONIID^E. 
  

  

  Primnoace^, 
  

   9. 
  Mnricella 
  tenera. 
  (Plate 
  XXXVI. 
  figs. 
  E, 
  E', 
  e, 
  e'.) 
  

  

  Corallum 
  erect, 
  branching 
  approximately 
  in 
  a 
  plane 
  ; 
  after 
  one 
  or 
  

   two, 
  or 
  without 
  any, 
  dichotomous 
  divisions 
  the 
  branching 
  becomes 
  

   pinnate, 
  the 
  pinnae 
  approximately 
  alternate, 
  the 
  ultimate 
  pinnae 
  vary- 
  

   ing 
  from 
  15 
  to 
  45 
  millim. 
  in 
  length. 
  Stem 
  and 
  branches 
  somewhat 
  

   flattened 
  from 
  front 
  to 
  back, 
  the 
  stem 
  about 
  1*5 
  millim., 
  the 
  tips 
  of 
  

   the 
  branches 
  about 
  1 
  millim. 
  thick 
  in 
  the 
  broadest 
  place 
  (excluding 
  

   verrucse). 
  Cortex 
  thin, 
  paper-like, 
  level 
  but 
  slightly 
  rough, 
  owiug 
  

   to 
  the 
  large 
  size 
  of 
  the 
  spicules 
  which 
  lie 
  in 
  it, 
  side 
  by 
  side, 
  without 
  

   projecting: 
  colour 
  in 
  dry 
  state 
  white, 
  in 
  spirit 
  semitransparent, 
  

   appearing 
  dirty 
  white, 
  owing 
  to 
  the 
  axis, 
  which 
  is 
  black, 
  being 
  

   partially 
  seen 
  through 
  it. 
  Verrucse 
  in 
  two 
  lateral 
  series, 
  alternate, 
  

   and 
  alternately 
  directed 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  towards 
  the 
  front 
  and 
  the 
  

   back 
  (this 
  latter 
  character 
  most 
  strongly 
  marked 
  towards 
  the 
  ends 
  

   of 
  the 
  branches). 
  In 
  the 
  closed 
  state 
  the 
  verrucse 
  are 
  conical, 
  pro- 
  

   minent 
  (about 
  1 
  millim. 
  high); 
  in 
  the 
  expanded 
  state 
  the 
  cone 
  is 
  

   truncate 
  and 
  not 
  so 
  high. 
  Colour 
  of 
  polypes 
  in 
  dry 
  state 
  a 
  pale 
  

   brown. 
  Cortical 
  spicules 
  fusiform, 
  generally 
  slightly 
  curved, 
  taper-- 
  

   ing 
  gradually 
  from 
  centre 
  to 
  moderately 
  sharp 
  ends, 
  covered 
  with 
  

   mostly 
  distinct, 
  but 
  closely-set, 
  prominent, 
  cylindrical 
  tubercles, 
  the 
  

   ends 
  of 
  which 
  are 
  blunt 
  (occasionally 
  rather 
  pointed) 
  and 
  strongly 
  

   roughened 
  ; 
  average 
  size 
  about 
  1 
  millim. 
  by 
  •111 
  millim. 
  Verruca- 
  

   spicules 
  of 
  same 
  characters, 
  but 
  either 
  about 
  1*5 
  millim. 
  long 
  by 
  

   •28 
  millim. 
  , 
  or 
  '9 
  by 
  '14 
  millim. 
  Spicules 
  of 
  polype 
  itself 
  with 
  

   smaller 
  tubercles, 
  but 
  of 
  same 
  general 
  characters 
  ; 
  size 
  about 
  -35 
  

   by 
  -07 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Port 
  MoUo, 
  Queensland, 
  14-20 
  fms. 
  ; 
  bottom 
  rock 
  or 
  coral. 
  

  

  