36 MISS KUTH M. HAKKISON ON NEW ALCYONA.KIA 



Colour. Base of stem a rosy purple, all the rest of colony, branches, twigs, and polyps 

 a pure white. This absence of all colouring-matter above the sterile stalk is a very 

 remarkable and striking feature. 



JIab. Macclesfield Bank, Admiralty Islands. 



Chiroxephthya hicksoni, sp. n. (PI. 5. fig. 46 ; PL 6. fig. 57.) 



One complete colony, 10 cm. high, 5 cm. broad, sterile stalk 2 cm. Stem erect, 

 cylindrical, dividing into two main branches ; short thick branches given off from these 

 and from stem, very slightly further subdivided and tend to be directed upwards. Polyps 

 on all branches, more numerous on terminal twigs ; not retractile. Spicules of stem 

 irregularly arranged, blunt spindles covered with warty projections. In the branches 

 the spicules are arranged longitudinally ; they are much longer, some reaching 37 mm., 

 with a solid opaque core making them extremely conspicuous ; smaller spicules are also 

 abundantly present. In the partition-walls are large warty spindles and numerous 

 typical small thorny forms. Polyp-spicules : crown with about five transverse rows ; 

 points with two or three spicules arranged en chevron, and smaller ones irregularly disposed 

 between them. Tentacles with a double row of spicules more or less dovetailed into 

 each other. 



Colour. A uniform dull yellow, the opaque spicules of the branches standing out con- 

 spicuously ; the tentacles only coloured a deep purple. 



Sab. Macclesfield Bank, Admiralty Islands. 



Chieonephthta purpurea, sp. n. (PI. 3. fig. 11; PL 6. fig. 53.) 



Colony 7 '5 cm. long, 35 cm. broad, sterile stalk broken off. Numerous branches 

 given off, all directed practically vertically upw r ards ; secondary branches few and small. 

 Polyps borne on the stem, branches, and twigs ; more numerous on twigs, directed 

 vertically upwards and not retractde. Spicules of the outer walls : elongate spindles 

 covered with low rugged warts, of various sizes ; some large, reaching nearly 4 mm., but 

 chiefly smaller ones not exceeding 1*5 mm. in length. Partition-walls crowded with 

 typical small thorny spicules ; some are rather larger than the usual type, reaching 

 0*4 mm. in length, but large warty spicules are absent. Polyp-spicules : crown with 

 seven or eight transverse rows ; points with three or four spicules arranged en chevron, 

 but when four are present there is very constantly only one spicule on one side of the 

 point and three on the other. Tentacles with a single row of small thorny spicules 

 placed transversely. All the polyp-spicules are fairly uniform in size and the polyp has 

 a very neat compact appearance. 



Colour. Stem and branches white, becoming cream in the terminal tw T igs ; polyps, 

 including the tentacles, a deep purplish red. 



Hub. Tizard B,eef, Admiralty Islands. 



Chironephthya annulata, sp. n. (PL 5. fig. 47 ; PL 6. fig. 59.) 



Colony 65 cm. long, sterile stalk l - cm. Colony rigid ; short thick branches given off 

 all round stem, only one or two of which are long enough to further subdivide. Spicules 



