ALCTONAKIA. 



341 



With regard to the relation of this to other species, perhaps the 

 Chilian forms described by Philippi ( Arch, fur Naturg. L866, p. 1 L6) 



are the elosest allies ; their growth is similar to that of P.jprcelonga ; 

 their spiculation is not, however, described. 



14. Plexaura miniacea. 

 ? Plexaura miniacea, Ehrenberg, Cor. roth. Meer. p. 141. 



I assign to this species with great doubt a very small Gorgoniid 

 of bright crimson colour, branching frequently and dichotomouslv 

 in one plane, and thus forming what in an older specimen would 

 probably be a reticulate corallum. The branches are slightly flat- 

 tened from front to back ; the terminal ones are short (not exceeding 

 10 millim.) ; maximum diameter of stern about 2*5 miliim., of tips 

 of branches (which are somewhat clavate) T25 to 1-75 millim. 

 Cortex compact, minutely rough. Verrucas slightly prominent, 

 orbicular. Axis flexible, glabrous, greenish to amber-brown. 

 Blattkeule spicule of cortex very like that of Echinogorgia cerea, 

 Esper, as figured by Kolliker*, with shaft composed of one median, 

 slender pointed, and two shorter alar rays with scattered, rounded, 

 simple or compound tubercles ; foliar portion consisting of wedge- 

 shaped processes, the middle one the longest, edges minutely scal- 

 loped, faces rendered uneven by longitudinal stria? or angular ridges ; 

 size about -35 by •1-4 millim. The cortical radiate and slender 

 fusiform spicules resemble in character those of P. ciaerea (supra), 

 but they are only about half the maximum size of those of that 

 species. I have not observed a stout cylindro-fusiform. Ehrenberg 

 does not assign any locality to his species. 



Hah. Port Darwin, north coast of Australia, 8-12 fms., bottom 

 mud and sand ; also Hammond Island, Torres Straits (coll. by F. M. 

 Rayner, in Brit. Mus.). 



Obs. The specimen last referred to shows decided anastomosis of 

 the branches. 



GoKGONIACE^. 



15. Leptogorgia fiexilis. 



? Litigorgia fiexilis, Verrill, Trans. Conn. Acad. iv. p. 400 (edition 1); 



and Amer. Jimrn. Sei. (2) xlviii. p. 4:?. 

 F Leptogorgia fiexilis, id. I. c. edit. 2. 



I refer to this species with some doubt a single dry specimen, 

 broken off below, consisting of a cylindrical main axis, 10 inches 

 (250 millim.) long, and diminishing in diameter from 2-25 millim. 

 at base to 1*25 in greatest diameter of the somewhat flattened apex, 

 bent over (perhaps accidentally), so that the apex points down- 

 wards: two branches, 36 and 32 millim. respectively in length, 

 decidedly flattened, and having an apical diameter of 1*25 and 2-0 

 millim. respectively, are given off at angles of about 45 c and at aa 



* Icon. Histiol. pi. xvii. fig. 17. 



