;i^7i- PEECT SLADEN TRUST EXPEDITION. 



13. Alcyonium sphcet-oijlioriun (Ehrenberg). 

 For description see : — 



Klunzin°-er: Korallthiere des Rotlien Meeres, 1877, p. 22, pi. 1. fig. 1. 

 May: Jenaische Zeitschr. Naturwiss. xxxiii. 1899, p. 105. 



In the present collection there are three complete colonies of this old-established 

 species. Their dimensions vary from 3-4 cm. across the widest part of the capitulum, 

 Avith an average height of 15 cm. The low, rounded, closely crowded lobes of the 

 capitulum give the characteristic " brain-like " appearance. The spicules are dovible- 

 clubs and double-spheres with relatively short and narrow " necks," and 8-shaped forms 

 without a clear "neck." The colour in spirit is a dirty cream. 



Locality. Praslin, Seychelles. 



Previously recorded from the Red Sea and Madagascar. 



14. Alcyonitim {Ery t hr op odium) indicum (Thomson and Henderson). (Plate 12. 



fig. 7.) 



= Bellonella indica, Thomson and Henderson. 

 Por description see: — 

 Thomson and Henderson : Ceylon Pearl Oyster Report, No. xx. 1905, p. 274, pi. 6. fig. 5. 



An upright colony about 4 cm. in height, with three finger-like branches diverging 

 from a short thick trunk (7 mm. in maximum diameter). The colour of the 

 coenenchvma is brilliant sealing-wax red, and over this the low wart-like calyces 

 appear as scattered yeUow points; the polyps themselves are white or pale yellow, 

 and have numerous spicules diffusely disposed on their protrusible portion. 



Tlie spicules are for the most part warty, double spheres ; a few capstan-like forms, 

 like Kolliker's " Sechser," are probably young stages of the others. 



This specimen agrees entirely with one in Herdman's Ceylon collection which was 

 mistakenly described by Thomson and Henderson as a new Bellonella. From the 

 description Kiikenthal has inferred that this form should be included in the genus 

 Nidalia as emended by him. For various reasons, however, we cannot accept this 

 su^o-estion ; it may be enough to note that the calyces in Nidalia are hard and non- 

 retractile, and that the spicules are thorny rods and spindles. 



Locality. Seychelles, 39 fms. 



Previously recorded from deep water south of Galle. 



15. Alcyonium {Erythropodium) salomoiiense, sp. n. (Plate 12. fig. 8 ; Plate 13. 

 tig. 9.) 



A few fragments of an encrusting form, of sealing-wax red colour with white polyps. 



The flat, encrusting portion— 1-5-2 mm. thick— bears no polyps, but gives origin to 

 solid, warty, polyp-bearing prominences, varying in size from 5x6 mm. to 12 X 9-5 mm. 

 The polyps are about 3 mm. apart ; nearly all of them are completely retracted into 

 low wart-like calyces. 



The polyp armature consists of eight distinct points, each formed of 5-6 steeply 

 sloping pairs of small, delicate, white spindles ; below these is a horizontal band of some 



