ALCYONARIA. 309 



Leptogorgia australiensis, RIDLEY, var. perflava Plate IV., fig. 10. 



This variety is represented by a complete colony which has a maximum height of 

 80 millims. and a maximum width of 88 millims. The type of branching agrees very 

 closely with that described, even to the pinnate arrangement of some of the pinnae 

 themselves. The groove or furrow is more tortuous than in RIDLEY'S description, 

 and in several places it shows the transition between a groove and a ridge. The size 

 and the arrangement of the verrucse, and their manner of opening by longitudinal 

 slits, are all in close agreement with RIDLEY'S descriptions. The axis just above the 

 flat spreading basal portion has a diameter of 1'35 millims. 



The spicules are spindle-shaped, with whorls of warts, distinct free spaces being 

 visible between the whorls near the middle portion of the spicule. Their measure- 

 ments, length by breadth in millimetres, are as follows : 0'12 X 0'04 ; 0'15 X 0'05; 

 0-11 X 0-04; 0-16 X 0'04 ; 0'17 X 0'03 ; 0"08 X 0'04. 



In this specimen the spicules show a greater range in size than is found in the 

 specimen described by RIDLEY. 



Neither in this variety nor in the variety described above can any trace be found 

 of the double-headed spicules which VERRILL has described. They are almost 

 certainly, as RIDLEY has suggested, pieces of broken fusiform spicules. 



A point of some interest in regard to the varieties described above is, that the 

 spicules of the crimson variety are wholly crimson and the spicules of the yellow 

 variety are wholly yellow. In no case can any trace of both red and yellow spicules 

 be found in one specimen. RIDLEY, however, found that red spicules occurred in the 

 cortex of the yellow varieties, and that in the cortex of the main branches of the red 

 form there were almost, if not quite, as many yellow as red spicules. We have 

 examined our specimens very carefully, and it may be that we have here the initiation 

 of a more definite splitting up of the species into distinct colour-varieties. 



Leptogorgia (?) sp. 



We have been unable to come to a definite decision in regard to an interesting 

 form which we rank provisionally with the genus Leptogorgia. It is represented by 

 an incomplete specimen showing two branches arising from a common basal portion. 

 The longest branch is 84 centims. in length, 2 millims. to 2'5 millims. in breadth, and 

 gives off two short branches at an acute angle. The branches are flattened, the 

 edges show a crenate row of gentle elevations and depressions indicating the position 

 of the verrucae and the minute intervals between them. The colour is greyish with 

 a tint of vandyck brown ; the texture of the coenenchyma appears smooth to the 

 naked eye, finely granular under the hand lens. The axis measures 0'85 millim. 

 across at its base, and a surprising feature is its markedly calcareous composition. 



The spicules are : (a) Small warty double spindles, measuring in length by 

 maximum breadth in millimetres, 0'08x0'025; O'lxO'025; 0-15XO"03; 0-16x0'04; 

 and (b) minute warty double clubs, 0'03 X 0'02 ; 0'05 X 0'03 ; 0'075 X 0'03 ; 0'08 X 0'03. 



