433 Miscellaneous. 



Description of a new genus of Gorgoniadse. -^n 



By J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S., P.B.S. &c. :^ 



Tlie Coral here described was sent to me by Sir John Richardson. 



It is nearly allied to Gorgonla, but the branches are erect, clavate, 

 and very rarely subdivided. The bark is very thick, formed of nu- 

 merous close diverging cells radiating round a very thin, small, black 

 compressed axis, each of the cells ending in a conical prominent tu- 

 bercle closely covered externally with red calcareous spicula. The 

 expanded base and the base of the stem and the interspaces between 

 the cells are covered vvith smaller red calcareous granules. 



This genus may be named and characterized thus : — 



GONIGORIA. 



Coral clavate, slightly branched ; the root dilated ; axis horns 

 black, compressed, thin ; bark thick, calcareous, covered with conical 

 tubercles, each covered externally with numerous close red spicula. 



GONIGORIA CLAVATA. 



Coral clavate, rounded at the end, simple, or rarely forked. 



Hah. ? 



The coral is almost two inches high, and the thickest part is about 

 one-third of an inch in diameter. — Proc. Zool. Soc. 



Note on a species of Francolin. 

 By Dr. Nicholson, H.E.T.C. Medical Service. 



While in Arabia in February 1836, I proceeded into the interior 

 as far as the town of Moosa, about twenty miles to the eastward of 

 Mocha in Yemen, accompanied by Captain Bull of the Indian Navy, 

 in quest of plants and other objects of natural history, as well as 

 with the view of seeing the country. Having delivered our intro- 

 duction to the chief of that district, he assigi: d us quarters in his 

 palace and appointed an Arab huntsman to attend us — as well to 

 show us game, as to be a guardian to our persons. We started at 

 daylight, mounted on asses, and pursued our course to the eastward 

 for about six miles, when at the foot of a range of hills, in a jungle or 

 Acacia arabica, we came on several large coveys of guinea-fowl. We 

 soon found that it was of no use to attempt to get a shot by walking 

 after them, as they soon left us ; so we followed, and whenever they 

 entered a thick piece of jungle we ran up in time to get a shot at them, 

 being pressed to take wing. In this way we made a very good bag, 

 to which we afterwards added a bustard (differing from the Indian) 

 and several small hares, which were very abimdant. At the first 

 shot I brought down, as I supposed, a couple of guinea-fowl, right 

 and left, but on picking them up found that one of them was a fine 

 species of Francolin. 



Bill and legs coral-red, the latter ^\ith blunt knobs for spurs ; the 

 top of the head, a line under the eye from the angle of the mouth, 

 and a patch below it, black ; round the eye and some way down the 



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