ALCYONARIANS. — BRIGGS. 67 



Cemis AcABARiA, Cray. 

 Ill his "Die Gorgonidenfamilie der Mclitodidae," Kiikeu- 

 thal' includes the jiemis Psilacaharia Ridley in Acaharia 

 Gray — " Zu dieser Gattunc; rechne ich auch die Gattung 

 Psilacaharia Ridley, die keine durchgreifenden Merkmale 

 aiifznweisen hat. Iiisbesouderc tritt das Abgeheu der Zweige 

 in rechtein \\'inkel auch bei andern Arten ein. Hierhin gehort 

 auch AniceUa Gray, nicht zu Melitodes, wie Ridley will." 



ACABARIA GRACILLIMA {Ridley). 



Psilacaharia gracillima, Ridley, Report Zool. Coll. H.M.S. 

 " Alert," 1884, p. 364. pi. xxxvii., figs. D-D^, pi. 

 xxxviii., figs. f-f^^. Id., Thomson and Mackinnon, 

 Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., 13, 1911, p. 671. 



A number of broken pieces in a dried condition are referred 

 to this species. The largest fragment is 90 mm. high. 

 Branching is dichotomous and approximately in one plane. 

 The branches are given off approximately at right angles, 

 although in several instances the angle of the dichotomy is 

 somewhat smaller. They have a diameter of about 1 mm. 

 There is no anastomosis. The axis is hard and white. 



The polyps occur in spirals on the large branches, but, 

 on the twigs, they have an irregular bilateral arrangement. 

 The individual calyces are Ioav, rounded,' tubercidar verrucas. 



The spicules include the following types : — (1) large 

 cylinders, fusiform to subclavate, slightly tapering to round- 

 pointed ends and provided wuth tubercles arranged roughly 

 in whorls— ^SO x -070 mm. ; -262 x -052 mm. ; -245 x -OfO 

 mm. ; (2) smaller spindles, more or less curved, with sharply 

 pointed ends, and tubercles — -262 x -070 mm. ; -245 x -052 

 mm.; -210 x -052 mm. ; (3) small subclavate spicules, 

 tapering from a broad to a sharp-pointed end, with tubercles 

 —•210 X -053 mm. ; -201 x -043 mm. ; -192 x -035 mm. 



The colour is cream to violet. 



Locality. — ^Great Australian Bight, Long. 131°E., 62 

 fathoms. 



Lyistrihution.—VoYt Molle, Queensland, 12-20 fathoms ; Port 

 Dar\\in, North Australia, 8-12 fathoms ; East Australia, 42 

 fathoms (Ridley). The " Thetis " specimens were obtained 

 at the following localities off the coast of New South Wales : — 

 Station 34, off Port Jackson, 39-36 fathoms ; Station 36, off 

 Botany Bay, 23-20 fathoms ; Station 48, off WoUongong, 

 55-56 fathoms ; South coast of NeAv South \Vales (Thomson 

 and Mackinnon). 



1. Kiikenthal— Zool. Anz., xxxiii., 1908, p. 194. 



