200 THE GORGONACEA COLLECTED BY DR WILLEY. 



The colony is upright and richly branched in one plane. The base is missing and 

 the colony has the terminal branches somewhat broken. 



The branches arise from both sides of the stem at an angle of from SO' — 90°. 

 The lateral twigs of the branches arise fairly perpendicularly. 



Some bend after a short distance and run parallel with the parent branch. 



The height of the colony is 70 mm., the greatest breadth GO mm. The thickness 

 of the principal stem at the base is 1 mm. The coenenchyma is thin. 



On the branches the polyps are about 1 mm. apart, but on the main stem they 

 are not so closely placed, being often 2 mm. apart. They are perpendicularly placed, 

 chiefly on two sides of the stem and branches. 



Habitat. Sandal Bay, Lifu. 



Villogorgia, compressa, n. sp. (PI. XXII. Fig. 7.) 



There is one very fine colony and one smaller piece. 



The large colony measures 490 mm. high and 540 mm. across the broadest part; 

 the basal part is missing. 



The colony is richly branched in one plane, the branches springing from both 

 sides of the stem at angles of from 80° — 90°. 



There are numerous anastomoses of big and small branches. 



The thickest branches are almost ribbon-like, being flattened at right angles to the 

 plane of branching. They measure 3 mm. by 1 mm. in diameter. The coenenchyma 

 is thin. 



The polyps are perpendicular to the stems and branches ; they are rather less 

 frequent on one face of the branches than the other. 



They are fairly thick on the terminal branches, but elsewhere they occur at 

 intervals of from 1 — 2 mm. 



There are two polyps at the end of each branch, neither terminal. 



They measure 12 — lmm. in height by 105 — '83 mm. in breadth across the crown. 



The spicules are of the Villogorgia type (6) and measure : — the stellate forms of 

 the cortex— -15 mm. by - 036 mm. (width of the main portion) and '027 mm. (width of 

 the base of the rays) ; the fusiform spicules of the cortex — "55 mm. x "05 mm. ; the 

 opercular spicules — 36 mm. x 05 mm. ; the polyp spicules — 4 mm. x 17 mm. 



These are maximum measurements in all cases. 



The operculum is of the Villogorgia type. 



The axis is horny, flexible, with the central core chambered. 



The colour of the colony in spirit is dirty brown 1 . The spicules are colourless. 



This form differs from V. intricata in its size, being larger, and in the greater 

 roughness of its appearance. 



It differs from V. flabellata in form and in its spicules, from V. mauritiensis in 

 the shape of the spicules, and from V. nigrescens in the size, &c. of the verrucae. 



Habitat. Blanche Bay, New Britain. Depth, 50 fathoms. 



1 In fresh condition the prevailing colour was pink due to the coloured zooids ; the coenosarc had a brownish 

 neutral tint. 



