On two new Species of {^ovuWWAx. from Madeira. 4:21 



LF. — Short Did') noses of Two new Species 0/ Ooralliiil-B 

 from Madeira. By James Yate Johnson, (Joit. Mem.Z.S. 



Pleurocorallium, Gray. 

 1. Pleurocorallium tricolor, J. Y. Johnson. 



Brandling essentially in one j)lane, to the fourth degree of 

 subdivision ; branches irregularly flexuose. Axis white, 

 hard, compact, its surface smooth. Cortex cream-coloured. 

 Polype-cells red, very prominent, cylindrical balo.v, ovate 

 above, the mouths surrounded by eight lobes, which, when 

 the coral is dry, are erect and in contact. The polype-cells 

 are irregularly distributed at the sides of the front face of the 

 coral and at the tips of the ultimate branchlets. 



Spicula of tiie cortex of three forms : — 



(a) Abundant; shaped like an opera-glass or two carafes, 

 the bodies being necked and the necks distinct. 



(b) A short stout cylindrical staff with two whorls of thick 

 rays on the axis, making with the projecting ends of the 

 staff a ten-rayed spicule. 



(c) Very numerous; apparently a contracted form of {b) 

 much varied in shape. 



In addition to these the polype-cells yield [d) numerous 

 monaxile spicula one and a half times or twice the length of 

 the spicula {h) with two whorls of rays ; some are cylin- 

 drical, others fusiform or clavate, and all are more or less 

 spined. Besides these are (e) a few cruciform spicules some- 

 what varied in form, but essentially consisting of four arms 

 at right angles, meeting at the centre with equal acute-angled 

 bases. 



2. rieurocorallium niad-rense, J. Y. Johnson. 



Luxuriantly branched, essentially in one plane, to the 

 seventh or eighth degree of subdivision ; branches dense, 

 irregularly Hexuose. Axis white, hard, compact, its surface 

 smooth. Cortex and polype-cells cream-coloured. Polype- 

 cells very prominent and numerous, cylindrical, with eight 

 vertical ribs, above Avhich are eight upright lobes meeting at 

 their tips over the mouth. The polype-cells are on the ante- 

 rior face of the coral, and are placed for the most part at the 

 sides of the branches and at the tips of the ultimate 

 bianchlets. 



Ann. d- Mag. N. tlist. 8cr. 7. Vol. ii. 2[) 



