170 PEECY SLADEN TEUST EXPEDITION. 



of a yellowish-white colour, often having small cracks running from their edges towards 

 the middle ('021 X 012 mm.). Tliere are also a few small, whitish-grey spherasters, 

 about "OSS mm. in diameter. 

 Locality. Egmont, reef. 



Genus ANTHELIA, Lamarck emend. Kukth. 



See Kiikcnthal: Alcyonacea, in Wissenschaftl. Eigebnisse deutsch. Tiefsee-Exped. xiii. (1906), 

 p. 10. 



Kiikenthal recognises four genera of Cornularids, namely, Coi'nularia, Anthelia, 

 Clavularia, and Sympodimn. The genus Sympodimn is distinguished from the others 

 by having completely retractile polyps; Covnularia has horny sbeaths and no spicules; 

 Anthelia differs fiom ClamUaria in having non-retractile polyps w"hich are not 

 differentiated into an upper thin-walled and a lower thick-walled, calyx-like portion. 



4. Anthelia glauca, Lnmarck. 



(=A. strumosa (Elirb.), + Sijmpodium fuliginosum (Ehrb.), + S. purpwascens (Ehib.).) 

 See Kiikenthal : Korallentiere des Rothen Meeres (1904), p. 43. 



A whole series of specimens from Salomon, Egmont, &c. may be included under 

 Anthelia, glauca, a wide sj^ecies, as Kiikenthal has well shown. 



We feel strongly that the multiplication of species in this very variable genus (the 

 Clavularia of most authors) has already gone much too far, and that Kiikenthal's 

 condensation is progressive. Anyone who studies on actual specimens the features used 

 by various authors as the basis of their classification in this grouji must be struck by 

 the great variability illustrated within the limits of a single haul. Size of polyps, 

 length of tentacles and pinnules, number of rows of pinnules, the extent to which the 

 middle line of the tentacle is left fi-ee — these are all features that vary greatly with 

 the age of the polyps, tiie life-conditions, the degree of retraction, and the mode of 

 preservation. 



The representatives of Anthelia glauca in this collection are all characterised by the 

 possession of very numerous, minute, rod-shaped spicules ( 05-'09 mm. X 013 mm.), 

 with blunt or truncated ends and a minutely granular surface. There are usually two 

 rows of pinnules on each side of the tentacles, but three rows sometimes occur. The 

 average length of the tentacles is about 8 mm. ; the pinnules are straight, and have a 

 measurement of 5-1 mm. The usual colour is cream-white to grey. 



Some of the more important variations may be mentioned : — 



(1) In one set of specimens from Salomon the tentacles are as much as 10 mm. in 

 length, and bear extraordinarily long (on an average 2 mm.) and curly pinnules. The 

 colour of the whole polyp is pale blue-green. 



(2) An occasionally well-marked feature is the coherence of adjacent polyps at their 

 bases to form masses, resembling low-growing Xeniidas. Tlie stalk-like portion thus 

 formed may be of any height from 4 mm. up to 12 mm. This manner of growth occurs 



