﻿580 
  COLLECTIONS 
  FKOM 
  THE 
  WESTERN 
  INDIAN 
  OCEAN. 
  

  

  apical 
  diameter 
  about 
  "75 
  millim. 
  ; 
  anterior 
  and 
  posterior 
  faces 
  

   scarcely 
  distinguishable 
  ; 
  verrucoe 
  subserially 
  arranged 
  down 
  the 
  

   lateral 
  margins, 
  more 
  sparingly 
  on 
  the 
  anterior 
  and 
  posterior 
  aspects, 
  

   distance 
  apart 
  1-1"5 
  millim. 
  (the 
  latter 
  is 
  the 
  interval 
  characteristic 
  

   of 
  the 
  anterior 
  and 
  posterior 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  branches 
  ; 
  this 
  interval 
  also 
  

   occurs 
  occasionally 
  on 
  the 
  sides). 
  Colour, 
  in 
  spirit, 
  deep 
  umber- 
  

   brown, 
  almost 
  black. 
  Surface 
  between 
  verrucse 
  minutely 
  granular. 
  

   The 
  spicules 
  have 
  their 
  tubercles 
  closely 
  aggregated, 
  prominent 
  

   (•04--05 
  millim. 
  high), 
  broad 
  (about 
  •04-'05 
  millim.), 
  and 
  very 
  richly 
  

   and 
  minutely 
  tuberculate 
  and 
  frequently 
  compound 
  (branching) 
  ; 
  the 
  

   general 
  outline 
  of 
  the 
  spicule 
  is 
  a 
  rude 
  oval, 
  flattened 
  parallel 
  to 
  

   the 
  long 
  axis, 
  with 
  the 
  ends 
  broad, 
  but 
  one 
  end 
  tends 
  to 
  be 
  sub- 
  

   globose, 
  while 
  the 
  other 
  is 
  constricted, 
  forming 
  a 
  kind 
  of 
  handle 
  ; 
  

   size 
  of 
  spicules 
  about 
  'lO 
  by 
  '14 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Providence 
  Eeef, 
  Mascarene 
  Islands, 
  24 
  fms. 
  ; 
  bottom, 
  sand 
  

   and 
  dead 
  coral. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  is 
  related 
  not 
  distantly 
  to 
  Miiricea 
  wnhraticoides, 
  

   Studer, 
  from 
  which 
  it 
  differs 
  chiefly 
  in 
  its 
  erect 
  and 
  more 
  slender 
  

   habit, 
  in 
  the 
  shorter 
  and 
  less 
  regularly 
  formed 
  spicules, 
  and 
  in 
  their 
  

   longer 
  and 
  more 
  ragged 
  tubercles. 
  

  

  The 
  height 
  of 
  the 
  single 
  specimen 
  (which 
  is 
  preserved 
  in 
  spirit, 
  

   divides 
  three 
  times, 
  and 
  has 
  a 
  slight 
  spreading 
  base) 
  is 
  70 
  millim. 
  

   (nearly 
  3 
  inches). 
  As 
  it 
  is 
  well 
  preserved 
  and 
  apparently 
  normal 
  

   in 
  growth, 
  I 
  have 
  ventured 
  to 
  give 
  it 
  a 
  distinctive 
  name. 
  

  

  M. 
  perramosa, 
  mihi 
  (Ann. 
  & 
  Mag. 
  Nat. 
  Hist. 
  1882, 
  x. 
  p. 
  128*), 
  

   from 
  Mauritius, 
  the 
  only 
  other 
  nearly 
  allied 
  form 
  described 
  from 
  the 
  

   AVestern 
  Indian 
  Ocean, 
  is 
  at 
  once 
  distinguished 
  from 
  it 
  by 
  the 
  red 
  

   colour 
  and 
  much-branched 
  habit. 
  

  

  GORGONELLID^. 
  

   6. 
  Juncella 
  gemmacea, 
  Milne-Edwards 
  Sf 
  Haime. 
  

  

  Several 
  specimens, 
  dry 
  and 
  in 
  spirit, 
  of 
  the 
  deep 
  scarlet 
  form, 
  

   which 
  was 
  the 
  most 
  abundant 
  in 
  the 
  North- 
  Australian 
  collections 
  

   of 
  the 
  'Alert.' 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Providence 
  Island, 
  Mascarene 
  Islands, 
  19 
  fms. 
  

  

  MELITH^ID^. 
  

  

  Melithseadce 
  and 
  Mopselladte, 
  Gray, 
  Cat. 
  Lithophyt. 
  Brit. 
  Mns. 
  

   pp. 
  3-12. 
  

  

  WRIGHTELLA. 
  

  

  Gray, 
  op. 
  cit. 
  p, 
  31. 
  

  

  Mopsea 
  (part.), 
  Ehrenherg, 
  Cor. 
  roth. 
  Meer. 
  p. 
  131 
  ; 
  Klunzinyer, 
  Kor. 
  

   roth. 
  Meer. 
  p. 
  57. 
  

  

  This 
  genus 
  is 
  closely 
  allied 
  to 
  Mopsella, 
  Gray, 
  having 
  " 
  Blattkeule" 
  

  

  * 
  The 
  branches 
  as 
  there 
  described 
  are 
  much 
  too 
  slender 
  ; 
  the 
  figure 
  is, 
  

   however, 
  correct; 
  tlie 
  primary 
  branches 
  measure 
  7, 
  the 
  terminal 
  twigs 
  "76 
  

   millim. 
  in 
  greatest 
  diameter, 
  excluding 
  verruca. 
  

  

  