THOMSON AND MACKINNON — STOLONIFERA, ETC. 167 



the genus Nidalla, as Prof. Kiikentlial argued from the description in the Ceylon 

 Pearl Oyster Keport. It is a species of Urythropod'mm, which Kiikenthal makes 

 a subgenus of Alcyonium. 



(f) Another species, Alctjonium [ErythropodUnn) salomonrnse, sp. n., is instructive. 

 It is an encrusting form with warty prominences, yet it is closely akin to the upright 

 Alcyonium [Erythi^opodium) indicum. 



iff] We have figured two young colonies of Sarcophi/ttim which show a striking 

 armature on the autozooids, different from any arrangement we have found elsewhere 

 or seen described for this genus. It seems that the ^o^^/i-spicules in this genus are 

 seldom preserved in the alcohol specimens. 



(/») Our study of a number of specimens which we refer to Litliophytum flabellun 

 (Q. & G.) leads us to agree with Professors May and Kiikenthal that this species should 

 include Ammothea digltata, May. It seems to us, moreover, that it should also include 

 A. africana. May, and A.Jlava, May. 



(^■) The difficult form Paraneplithya pratti, Thomson and Henderson, of which a 

 single small specimen was found by Prof. Herdman off Ceylon, fortunately reappears in 

 Mr. Gardiner's collection. We have to confess that it is no Paranephtluja, a genus 

 which Prof. Kiikenthal now merges in Capnella. Nor can it be included in Capnella, 

 even as emended by Kiikenthal. It requires a new genus, for which the name Sclerella 

 is proposed. The huge otolith-like internal spicules are very remarkable. It is probably 

 an annectant genus, like Dactylonephthya, Cactogorgia, Agaricoides, and Shideria, 

 binding together Alcyonids, Nephthyids, and Sijihonogorgids. We have here one of the 

 most interesting types in the collection. 



{j) In Stereonephthya macrospiculata, sp. n., we have an illustration of extreme 

 spicvilation, for not only is the colony hard and rigid, but some of the spicules attain 

 the length of a centimetre. So far as we know, these are the longest and strongest 

 Alcyonarian spicules, lOxl'5 mm. 



{k) Our study of a large number of specimens of Siphonogorgia and Cldronephthi/a 

 has led us to the conclusion that there is no satisfactory distinction between these 

 genera. The former stands. The determination of the species is extremely difficult, 

 and we have no great satisfaction in the two new ones we have been fox'ced to erect. 



{I) The specimen which we have named Stereaoanthia elongala, sp. n., is very 

 puzzling. It has some resemblance to Kiikenthal's Eunephthi/a spiculosa — a very 

 aberrant species. 



{m) Simpson's interesting genus Cactogorgia finds another representative in 

 C. lampas, sp. n. 



{n) Attention may be directed to the exceedingly fine colony of Keroeides koreni, 

 Wright and Studer, which seemed to us to demand a worthy coloured figure. 



(o) We have tried to define more sliarply the distinction between the genera 

 Jfelitodes and Wrightella, by contrasting M. cjccinea and Jf. cocciuea, M. cariabUi^ 

 and W. variabilis. 



