EEPORl ON THE ALCYONARIA. 159 



The largest of the imperfect fragments measures about 750 mm. in height and is 

 13 mm. in its widest diameter. In several cases the apices seem to have been browsed 

 off and are in process of regrowth. 



The structure of the axis very closely resembles that described by KoUiker as 

 characteristic of his genus Plexaurella ; being made up of alternate layers of horny and 

 calcareous portions ; the horny and calcareous portion of the largest specimen in the 

 collection is slightly oval, and measures 5'5 by 4*5 mm. The coenenchyma is very 

 thick in this specimen, measuring 3 mm.; the spicules are very uniform in size; the 

 double stars vary from 008-0"04 to 0'l-0"05 mm.; while the unsymmetrical clubs have 

 a range of between 0'08-0'03 and 0"l-0"3 mm.; occasionally a longer one, 0"12-0'04 

 mm., is seen. 



Habitat. — Torres Strait; depth, 7 to 11 fathoms. 



Juncella harbadensis, Duchassaing and Michelotti (?) (PI. XXXIV. fig. 14). 



Juncella barhadensis, Duch. and Mich., M^m. Corall. des Antilles, Suppl., p. 22, pi. v. fig. 5. 



Two small fragments are in the collection, which may possibly be juvenile states of 

 Juncella harbadensis, D. and M., or of Juncella funiculina, D. and M., but from the very 

 brief description of these species by the authors, the absence of type specimens to refer 

 to, and the very small amount of material at our disposal, it seems impossible to decide 

 the point with any certainty. 



The colonies measure 150 and 155 mm. in length. The polyps are arranged on them 

 in four rows ; they are retractile with very long peduncles (2"5 mm. in length), which 

 bend in towards the stem in a manner reminding one of the figures of Scirjyearia 

 mirabilis, Cuv. The coenenchyma is thin and the spicules seem most closely related 

 to those of the preceding species. The unsymmetrical clubs measure 0"l-0'4 mm. ; across 

 head 02 mm. ; across stem 0-08-0-04 ; 0-06-004 ; 004-002 mm. ; the double stellate 

 forms 006-004; 006-0 02 mm.; the spindles 0-1-0-25 ; 006-0-2 mm. 



In some respects this form resembles Juncella flexilis, Std., from Mauritius. 



Habitat. — Station 23, off Sombrero Island ; depth, 450 fathoms ; bottom, Pteropod 

 ooze. 



Juncella racemosa, n. sp. (PI. XXXIV. fig. 11). 



Colony attached, branched ; branches arising in the one plane. There are no quite 

 perfect specimens in the collection, but the two most perfect ones measure 115 and 

 140 mm. in heiglit, with a diameter at the base of 1'5 and 3 mm. respectively. In the 

 smaller specimen all the branches, until the very summit, are given off from the right 

 side of the main stem, which is curved ; several of these branches are short and simple ; 

 the longest, which is itself branched, extends to a length of 75 mm.; all the branchlets 



