ALCYONARIA. 



323 



Locality : Periya Paar, Gulf of Manaar, 9f fathoms. 



Halisceptrum gustavianum (HERKLOTS). 



This species is represented by one complete specimen. Of the 23 millims. forming 

 the stalk the lower 1 1 millims. consist of nothing but the axis which tapers to a point. 

 At the upper end of the 1 1 millims. the axis has a diameter of 1 '3 millims. and is 

 cylindrical in shape. 



In the rachis the stalk becomes grooved and approximates to a quadrangular shape. 

 A groove is distinctly seen in the prorachidial face of the rachis, but this fades away 

 and disappears in the lower part of the rachis. 



The pinnules show a large number of polyps which appear to be arranged in a 

 number of rows. In the immature pinnules the polyps are in a single row, but they 

 soon begin to alternate, and in the mature pinnules they seem to be in six rows. The 

 number of mature pinnules is very small compared with that of the immature, the 

 numbers being 16 pairs to 40 pairs. 



Pinnules: Breadth, 2'5 millims. ; height, 2'5 millims. 



Distance between origins of pinnules, 4 millims. 



Length of whole colony, 86 millims. 



Locality : Station LIL, Gulf of Manaar, 3 to 6 fathoms. 



Pteroeides lacazei, var. spinosum, KOLLIKEE. 



This species is represented by a fragment only of the upper- portion of the rachis, 

 measuring about 36 millims. in length, with 15 pinnules on one side, 16 on the other. 



The principal measurements are as follows : -Width of rachis, 48 millims. ; breadth 

 of pinnule, 20 millims. ; height of pinnule, 12 millims. ; number of main rays, 12. 



There is a single row of zooids running down the centre of the meta-rachidial 

 surface. 



The wart-like termination of the rachis is almost completely hidden between the 

 two uppermost pinnules. The rachis seems to have been swollen towards the tip and 

 the fragment seems to be a part of the swelling. 



The zooid plate is basal. The pinnules are marked by a number of V-shaped black 

 markings on their margins. The polyps are situated both on the upper and on the 

 lower surface of the pinnule, but they are more abundant on the upper surface. 



2 T 2 



