THOMSON AND MACKINNON— STOLONIFERA, ETC. 191 



Neai' the base of the branches si?; canals can be made out on a cross-section ; but in 

 tlio loAver jiart of the stem these appear small and inconspicuous, owing to the strong 

 development of spicules, which form the bulk of the stem, and give it a firm, rigid 

 consistency. 



The colour of the whole colony is a dull brownish-orange ; the polyps are somewhat 

 lighter. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma are pale yellowish-brown and salmon-coloured 

 spindles, covered thickly with rather large warts, minutely tuberculate. 



The size of the large spindles is 1-7 X '22, IGl X '21, 1-36 X '2 mm., and of the smaller 

 more slender spindles with few and simple warts, -SSX'l, 'Six '11, 'GSx^OG mm. 



Locality. Salomon, 75 fms. 



Previously recorded from Ternate. 



S. pendula previously recorded from Amboina. 



58. Siphonogorgia pendula, Studer, var. n. ramosa. (Plate 14. fig. 2.) 

 Por description of ^S*. pendula, Studer, see : — 

 Studer: 'Challenger' Reports, xxxi. (1889) p. 5, pi. 1. figs, la, 1 /*, pi. 5. fig. 2. 



There are two liroken branches in the collection ; one 2 cm. in height, the other 

 3"5 cm. These give off twigs in all directions. The diameter of the main branches is 

 about '1 mm., that of the twigs about 2 mm. 



The surface is rough and Avrinkled, the wrinkles becoming in certain places deep 

 longitudinal furrows. 



The polyps are almost entirely confined to the twigs, where they are arranged in a 

 wide spiral. The tip of each twig is usually ended by a single polyp. The polyps are 

 markedly stalked ; the stalk may be from 2-35 mm. in length, and makes an angle of 

 45° with t'ae twig from Avhich it arises. 



The polyp-heads are large and conspicuous, from l'5-2 mm. in height and 1'5 mm. in 

 diameter. They are of a bright lemon-yellow colour, in contrast to the dull red of the 

 rest of the colony. Their armature consists of a crown and points. The arrangement 

 in these is variable, but there is a strong tendency to have each point composed of two 

 main converging sj^indles, of which one is often much the stouter ; a third and even a 

 fourth may be inserted in the angles between these. The tentacles are very heavily 

 armoured with a double row of minute yellow spindles arranged " en chevron." Below 

 the points is a deep ring of yellow spindles similar to those of the points, arranged in 

 8-10 horizontal rows. 



The ends of the longitudinally arranged spicules forming the polyp " stalk " may, in 

 some cases, project slightly on to the collar so as to form a rudimentary verruca, into 

 which the polyp is never retracted. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma are dull red, warty spindles, somewhat massive, and 

 with the warts markedly tuberculate. The following measurements were taken of 

 length and breadth in millimetres :— 1-78 X "21, 127 X "21, -07 X "l, "05 X "l. The yellow 

 anthocodial spindles are: — ^GX'OQ, •59X"08, 'Six '08 mm. 



