THE GORGOXACEA COLLECTED BY DR. WILLEY. 201 



Section. SCLERAXONIA. 

 Family. Sclerogorgidae. 



Keroeides gracilis, Whitelegge. (PL XXII. Figs. 12 — 14.) 



Only a few fragments of this form have been found. The largest closely ap- 

 proximates to that described by Whitelegge (9). 



The verrucae alternate on the sides of the stem and branches. They are low and 

 conical in shape, measuring 1 mm. in height and the same in diameter at the base. 



On the main stem they are about 3 mm. apart, on the branches 1 — 2 mm. apart. 



The coenenchyma is thin, smooth and filled with large, closely packed, compound 

 tuberculated spindles. 



The axis consists of a number of long, closely-set spicules cemented together 

 round a horny central strand and agrees in diameter with the type specimen. 



The irregularity in the shape of the coenenchyma spicules near the verrucae is 

 not so apparent as Whitelegge describes it. 



The spicules are pale pink in colour by transmitted light. 



They are '84 mm. long and "27 mm. wide. 



The small tentacular spicules are '11 x - 04 mm. and the spicules of the axis are 

 •22 x-02 nun. 



Thus all the spicules are somewhat smaller than in K. gracilis, Whitelegge, where 

 they are 1 x 15 mm. — 2 x "3 mm. 



The colour of the colony also differs from that of K. gracilis, being pale pink 

 instead of coral red ; but they are both shallow water-forms. 



I do not consider that these small points of difference are sufficient for characterising 

 a new species, especially as there are only a few fragments of the specimen and no 

 complete colony. 



Habitat. Milne Bay, British New Guinea. Depth 20 fathoms. 



Previously recorded from Funafuti, Ellice Islands. 



Keroeides pallida, n. sp. (PI. XXII. Figs. 15 and 16.) 



There is one fairly complete specimen showing the basal attachment, and three 

 fragments. The largest piece measures 130 mm. in height and 140 mm. across the 

 widest part of the colony. The diameter of the main stem near the base is 40 mm. 

 by 25 mm., and of the terminal branches 20 mm. by TO mm. Thus both stem and 

 branches are somewhat flattened. The main stem is broken off at a height of 85 mm- 

 from the base. 



The main stem gives off five branches in one plane at an angle of about 60°. 

 They soon turn upwards and run parallel to the main stem. Each in its turn bears two 

 or three branches, some of which also bear branchlets. The branches end in two polyps. 

 Originally the branching must have been in one plane; the curving inwards seems to 

 be due to the position in the bottle of spirit. 



w. 29 



