328 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA. 



number of stations dredged and searched in the north-eastern dis- 

 trict, together with the known ability of the distinguished collector, 

 Dr. R. W. Coppinger, give an assurance that from shallow water in 

 this quarter but few novelties are likely to be received in future. 

 The results obtained from the northern region (from Torres Straits 

 westward as far as the 130th parallel of E. longitude) are the most 

 interesting, but the number of localities and stations searched here 

 is relatively smaller than on the eastern side. The small number 

 of Pennatulidie is partly explained by the fact that the depths 

 reached by the dredge did not exceed 30 fms. in any locality but 

 one, viz. Arafura Sea, where 32-30 fms. are recorded. One of the 

 most important results is the acquisition of definite localities for 

 some interesting forms whose exact origin was hitherto unknown 

 (see Leucoella cervicormis, Mopsella textiformis). Several, however, 

 described by Lamarck, Lamouroux, and Gray, probably coming from 

 this region, still remain undetermined as to exact locality. The 

 known range of some species has been greatly extended by this Ex- 

 pedition, e. g. Nephtliya jidcesi, Muricea umbraticoides, Sip>honogorgia 

 mirabilis, Acabaria japonica, whose previously known habitats were 

 respectively — i. Philippine Islands; ii. N.W.Australia; iii. Red Sea; 

 iv. Japan. 



In all, excluding the two Pennatulids as visitors from the deeper 

 water, the shallow waters in the districts examined yielded alto- 

 gether 30 species, of which 12, or one third, appear to be new to 

 science, and arc, with one exception (Ecliinomuriceaindo-malaccensis), 

 according to present knowledge, peculiar to these districts. Of the 

 remaining species, two (Ellisdla calamus and Leucoella cervicornis) 

 are not known out of Australian (N.W., N., or N.E.) seas ; while 

 Muricea umbraticoides and Mopsella textiformis are known only 

 from N.E. Australia and Dirk Hartog Island (W. Australia). 

 Studer gives 22 other species from West and N.W. Australia 

 (Dampier Island and Dirk Hartog Island), and Gray 2 other species 

 from localities within these limits. Of these 24, 12 are not known 

 elsewhere ; so we have a total of 23 species not as yet certainly known 

 outside Australia north of the 30th parallel of latitude. 



• Of the species not confined to Australia, Spongodes florida, Echino- 

 gorgia fiabellum, Ctenocella pectinata, Juncella elongata, and Subero- 

 gorc/ia suberosa are generally distributed in the Indian Ocean ; 

 Spongodes spinosa and Solenocaulum tortuosum extend, as at present 

 determined, only to New Guinea; Telesto smiihi to the sea off Timor; 

 Ncphthya julcesi goes further, to the Philippine Islands. One species, 

 Acabaria japonica, extends to Japan ; two, Siphonogorgia mirabilis 

 and Juncella gemmacea, to the lied Sea ; and two, those termed 

 provisionally Leptogorgia fiiwilis and Plexaura miniacea, possibly to 

 the AVcstern American coast. 



The systematic list which follows will show sufficiently the dis- 

 tribution of the species within Australian waters. I have adopted 

 the same classification of the localities as in the case of the Sponges. 



The list shows that the greater number of species (23) were 

 obtained on the Queensland coast to the south-cast of Torres Straits. 



