200 PEECT SLADEN TEUST EXPEDITION. 



73. Wrightella coccinea. Gray. (Plate 10. figs. 3, 4, 8, 9 ; Plate 13. fig. 7.) 

 Por description see : — 



Gray : Catalogue of Lithopliytes in British Museum, 1870, p. 32. 



Ridley : Zoological Collections from West Indian Ocean, H.M.S. 'Alert,' 1884, p. 581. 



Numerous specimens resemble Wrightella coccinea in all respects except that the 

 colour is a beautiful lemon-yellow. Although this colour-difference is probably of little 

 importance, it may be useful to record it, since coccinea by itself suggests bright red. 

 That the red colour of Wrightella coccinea is valueless as a species-distinction, is further 

 borne out by the occurrence, in this collection, of several well-branched specimens (the 

 largest 6'6 cm. high), which are undoubtedly to be referred to W. coccinea, but are 

 characterised by their bright orange colour. Other specimens are typically red. 



The occurrence of numerous specimens enables us to say that no importance can lie 

 attached to the general aspect of the colony as regards branching, for some spread out 

 laxly in approximately one plane, while others are bushy. 



Localities. Earquhar Atoll ; Praslin, Seychelles. 



Previously recorded from Seychelles, 4-12 fms., Ceram. 



Note on Wrightella variabilis, Thomson & Henderson, and Melitodes 

 variabilis, Hickson. (Plate 13. figs. 13, 14.) 



Professor Hickson called our attention to the resemblauce between these two forms, 

 and was good enough to send us specimens of his species. The case seems to us quite 

 parallel to that of Wrightella coccinea. Gray, and Melitodes coccinea, Esper; there is 

 close superficial resemblance, but the spicules are very different. In corroboration of 

 Wrightella variabilis we submit a figure contrasting its spicules with those of Melitodes 

 variabilis. Cf. also Plate 13. figs. 4 & 7. 



Genus PARISIS. 



74. Parisis fruticosa, VerriU. 

 Por description see : — 



Wright and Studer : ' Challenger' Reports, xxxi. (1889) p. 182, pi. 41. fig. 4. 



Ridley : Contributions to Knowledge of Alcyonaria, Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist. 5th series, ix. 



1882, p. 131, fig. 1. 

 Thomson and Henderson : Alcyonarians collected by the 'Investigator' in the Indian Ocean, part i. 

 (1906) p. 23, pi. 4. figs. 4, 5, 8, 9. 

 Several small specimens are referable to this species. The dimensions of the two 

 largest are 11x7 cm. and 10x95 cm. The verrucse are prominent, lateral, and 

 alternate. Over the surface of the coenenchyma the knobs of the spicules form a 

 close, pavement-like covering such as would be formed by rounded sand-grains closely 

 apposed. Unlike many specimens of Parisis, these are quite clean, without any 

 encrusting Palythoids. 



The surface of the specimens referred by Thomson and Henderson to Parisis indica, 



