GENERAL ZOOLOGY. 39 



Coral-reef ; scarcely a stone of any size can be overturued but wliat examples 

 of this species are to be seen clinging to it. Asterina exlgua, Lamk., a disc- 

 like form, is almost as frequent as the last species, and so much resembles 

 the colour of the rocks to which it adheres, that it is at times 

 distinguished with difficulty. Ophidiaster Germani, Per., is sparingly met 

 with, of a dull red colour, and with long finger-like arms. It is very similar, 

 except in colour, to a blue species met with in Torres Straits. We also 

 found a fourth small species, Patiria crassa, Grray, somewhat solariform, 

 with six or seven rays, and grey in colour. Both in the Australian 

 Asteroidea, and the succeeding group of the Ophiuroidea, much yet remains 

 to be done ; in fact, they may be practically said to be unworked groups. 

 We obtained Ophiocoma hreviceps, Peters, and 0. crenacea, M. and T. 

 We have reason to believe that many fine Holotlmrians will be met 

 with in the future over this prolific bunting ground, although we only 

 succeeded in capturing four species, chiefly under stones and in the pools of 

 the Coral-reef. The smallest and commonest of the four, a Holotkuria, of a 

 brownish colour, emits, when touched, a white, sticky, fibrous discharge, 

 which congeals like india-rubber. This is probably allied to the "milk-fish" 

 described by the Eev. J. E. T. AVoods*, from the reefs of the south-east coast 

 of Australia. He says, " Another species is the " milk-fish," or " cotton- 

 fish," so called from its power of emitting a white viscid fluid from its skin, 

 which clings to an object like shreds of cotton." Another species is a large 

 form, a foot in length, perhaps HoJotlmria vagahunda, Seleneka, of a black- 

 brown colour ; a third and ratber common Holothurid, brown, mottled with 

 white, we believe to be Stichopus chloronotus, Brandt, and obtained by the 

 " Challenger" expedition in the Fiji Islands. The last is a Gucumaria of a 

 pale straw yellow. 



Actinozoa. — We experienced great disappointment in our efforts to obtain 

 a representative series of the corals forming the fringing reef at Lord 

 Howe. The long continued foul weather quite prevented our visiting those 

 portions of the reef best adapted for the study of its actinology. Quantities 

 of dead fragments arc scattered about the sandy beach of the Lagoon, but 

 usually in sucli a comminuted, or rolled condition, as to be quite useless for 

 identification. In tliis manner we obtained convoluted masses of a Turhin- 

 aria ; finger-like colonies of a Stylophora, very like S. ceUulosn ; globose 

 masses of Cyphastrea Bniggemanii, Quelch ; and flabellate expansions of a 

 Madrepora. In the pools of the shore ends of the reef Coeloria dadcelia, E. 

 & S., or at any rate a coral we believe to be this species occurs plentifully, 

 forming irregular rounded masses from a few inches upwards to specimens 

 of large size. Accompanying these are short small colonies of a Tuhipora 

 of very curious structure, and so far undetermined by us. The upper portions 

 of each corallite, above the terminal platform or external tabulum, is nncal- 

 cified, and remains membranaceous, and soft. Alcyonarians are plentiful. 

 We recognized small creeping clusters of a ZoantJnis, of a greyish purple ; 

 flattened disk like expansions referable to Poli/tlioa ; Ammothea thrysoides, 

 H. & Ehr., in arborescent finger — like tufts, and a number more at present 

 undetermined. An Alcyonium must however be mentioned, forming flat 

 irregular table-like masses with small convolutions, and an AniceJla not 

 unlike A. ausfralis, Grav, previously found at Port Essington, by the late 

 Professor J. B. Jukes, when acting as naturalist to H.M.S. " Ely." Sea- 

 anemones are very plentiful on all rocky ground between tide marks. We 

 observed three varieties — the dark carmine-red, green, and a small brown 



* Proc. Linn Soc, N. S. Wales, v, pt. 2, p. 128. 



