80 



Tranmdions of the 



I Vlontlilv .Alloroscopical 

 L Journal, Frl). 1, 1x70. 



For tlie formation of this very natural order we are indeljted to 

 the labours of MM. Audouin and ]\lilne Edwards, as also for its 

 sub-division into the three equally natural fomilies of the Alcyoniclae, 

 the Gorgonidx, and the Pennatulidse. The types of these three 

 families in consecutive order would be the Alcyonium, or "Dead 

 Man's Fingers ;" Corallium ruhrum, or the " Red Coral " of com- 

 merce, and the Pennatula, or " Sea-Pen." 



The family of the Gorgonidee, or rather a limited section of it, 

 being the one to which it is my intention to confine my present 

 observations, further reference to the two remaining groups would 

 be superfluous. The following is an abstract of the division of the 

 Gorgonidm into sub-families, sections, and genera adopted by Milne 

 Edwards in his ' Histoire Naturelle des Corallaires.' 



Fam. GORGONIDtE. M. Edw. 



Alcyonaria, possessing a compound, adherent polypary ; provided with a 

 sclerenchyma of a suberose consistence, disposed after the manner of bark 

 around a sclerobasic axis, whicli axis assumes the form of a simple stem or 

 ramifying branch. 



Snb-Fam. I. GoRGONiNiE. 



Gorgonidae, whose common sclerobasic axis is for the most part or entirely 

 flexible, and is either of the consistence of horn or suberose. 



Sec. I. Primnoacece. 



Gorgoniuf'e, whose sclerobasic axis is complete and tree-like, and whose 

 sclerenchyma is armed with spines or squamiform spicula. 



Gen. I. Primnoa. 



Sp. 1. lepadifera. 



2. antarctica. 



3. verticillaris. 



4. flabellum. 



Sp. 1. spicifera, 



2. lima. 



3. elongata. 



Sp. 5. plumatilis. 



6, gracilis. 



7. mjmra. 



Gen. II. Muricea. 



Sp. 4. echinata, 



5. fungifera. 



6. placomus. 



Esp. 



Doubtful s^iecies : Gorgonia scahra, Val. ; G. cerea, Esp. ; G. furfwacea. 



Sec. II. GorrjonaceoR. 

 Sclerobasic axis complete, dendroid, corneous ; sclerenchyma, suberose 



or smooth. 



Gen. III. Eunicea. 



Sp. 1. laxispina. 



2. muricata. 



3. intermedia. 



4. Castelnandi. 



5. multicauda. 



6. crassa. 



Sp. 7. humilis. 



8. asperula. 



9. Tourneforti. 



10. Rousseaui. 



11. plantaginea. 



Doubtful species: Gorgonia pspiido-nntipathefi, Lamk. ; G. madrejmra, 

 Dana. ; G. nuccinca, Esp. ; Eunicea davaria, Lamx. ; Eu. qvincunualis, Ehr. 



