REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 65 



short point ; moreover, there radiate from the nucleus to the edges raised ribs, formed 

 from the fusion of prominences, whicli at the end run out into little points projecting 

 beyond the edge of the scale. Height to breadth, 0'47-0-5 ; 0-42-0-57 ; 0-36-0-3 ; 

 0'42-0'35 ; 0'35-0'52 mm. The opercular scales are pointed, triangular, with somewhat 

 unequal sides, with ribs radiating from the nucleus which run out into points, of these 

 the middle rib is the most developed, and runs out into a long spine. Height to 

 breadth, 0-7-0-27 ; 0-62-0-37 ; 0-5-0-38 mm. 



The ccBnenchyma scales of the outer layer are irregularly three-cornered or polygonal, 

 at times four-edged or rounded, they always overlap one another with their lateral edges. 

 Height to length, 0-41-0-26 ; 0-35-0-26 ; 0-43-0-3 ; 0-38-0-29 ; 0-4-0-2.5 ; 0-26-0-2 mm. 

 Those of the inner layer are flat, three-cornered, or irregularly polygonal, 0"18-0"12; 

 0-15-0-09; 0-2-0-18 mm. 



Habitat. — -Station 308, oflF Tom Bay, Patagonia; depth, 175 fathoms; bottom, blue 

 mud. Two specimens. 



Station 310, Sarmiento Channel, Patagonia; depth, 400 fathoms ; bottom, blue mud. 

 A fragment of a specimen ; the twigs are finer, more flexible, the dorsal twigs on the 

 branches being hardly developed. 



4. TJiOuarella antarctica (Valenciennes) (PI. XXI. fig. G). 



Primnoa antarctica, Valenc, Zool. du Yo3'age de la Frigate la Venus, Atlas, Zoophytes, pi. xii. 

 fig. 2. 

 „ „ Milne-Edwards, Hist. Nat. des Coralliaires, t. i. p. 140. 



Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1857, p. 286 ; 1859, p. 483. 

 „ „ Kolliker, Icones Histiol., p. 135. 



Hiouarella a7itarctica, Gray, Cat. Litlioph. Erit. JIus., p. 45. 



Milne-Edwards characterises the species as follows : — " Poh^pieroide extremement 

 df^licat, dont les branches, presque filiformes, sont disposees irregulierement tout autour 

 d'uue tige principale, de fagon 5, constituer unc toufie en forme de goujiillon. Papilles 

 caliciferes pctites, mais tres fortes, comparativement au diametre de I'axe qui les poite." 

 The fragment figured in the Voyage of the " Venus " gives a good general idea of the 

 specimen preserved in tin; Jardin des Plantes, only in detail the scales arc drawn nuu-h 

 too strongly toothed. Gray has made use of the figure and description for the 

 characterisation of his genus Thouarella, without giving any further details. Kolliker 

 gives the measure of the calyx scales examined by him from 0'18 to 0'63 mm. The 

 species has nowhere been minutely described. The original specimen, in the collection 

 of the Jardin des Plantes, was obtained by Captain Du Petit Thouars at the Falkland 

 Islands. It is a brancli, the lower part of which is broken off, and from which fine 

 lateral twigs are given off on all sides, whicli bear the club-shaped polyps. The com- 

 parison with a bottle-brush (goupillon) is very striking. 



(zool. cuall. EXP. — PART Lxiv. — 1887.) Sss 9 



