ALCYONARIANS. — BRIGGS. 9J^ 



Genus Sarcophvllum, Kolliker. 



►Sarcophyllum GRANDE {Gray). 



Sarcoptilus grandis, Gray. Proc. Zool. Soc, xvi., 184S, p. 



45, pi. i. Id., Gray. Ann. Ma^. Xat. Hist., v., ISGO, 



p. 23. Id., Gray. Cat. 8ea-Pens Brit. Mus., 1870, 



p. 25. 

 Sarcophylhim avstrale. Kolliker. Anatoiii. 8ystemat. lics- 



chreil). Alovonarieu. Abtli. 1., Peimatuliden, 1872, pi). 



120. 364, jjl. viii., figs. 66, 67. Id., Hieksou, Proc. 



Roy. 8oc. Vict., (n.s.), ii.. 1890, p. 140. Id., Thomson 



and ^lackinnon. Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., 13, 1911, j). 



694, Y>\. Ixxxii. 



Sarcophyllum grande, Kolliker, Cliall. Rep., Zool., i., 1880, 

 p. 2. 



A number of specimens of a light brown colour agree on 

 the whole with Kolliker's description of Sarco^jihyllum mis- 

 tralis (=/S'. grande. Gray). 



Gray's original description, which was based on a single 

 specimen from an unknown habitat, contains the following 

 passage : — " Pinn(B placed in two cro\\ded rows, one on 

 each side of one of the faces of the upper part of the shaft, 

 kidney-shaped, crumpled, with the polyps scattered on the 

 edge and upper surfaces, especially near the edge." 



After an examination of specimens from Sydney, New 

 South Wales, he writes " Allien I first described this genus 

 I believed that the polypes were ' scattered over the upper 

 surface of the pinna? ' ; but that is a mistake which I was 

 led into by the imperfect state of the specimen ; the polyps 

 are only placed on the margin of the pinnae as in other Pen- 

 natuUdce." 



In the present specimens there are numerous rows of auto- 

 zooids on the margin of the pinnules. The characteristic 

 spicides of the species are situated in the base of the colony, 

 and consist of large white S-shaped forms measuring up to 

 4mm. in length. 



The dimensions in centimetres of the largest specimen 

 are as follows : — 



Lenirth of entire colony . . . . . . 29 



Lcncth of the rachis . . . . . . . . 20';") 



Lenpth of the stalk S-.J 



Breadth of the railiis . . . . . . . . 8 



Breadth of the stalk .3-5 



Maximum breadth of pinnules . . . . 4"(> 



Height of pinnules in the mid<lle . . . . 3 



Number of pinnules on each side . . . . 40 



