COLLECTED BY DR WILLEY IN NEW BRITAIN, ETC. 495 



The dorsal mesenterial filaments extend from the free edge of the stomodaeum 

 to the stolon. The}- are considerably convoluted and drawn out laterally into long- 

 tag-like processes (Fig. 14). The six ventral mesenterial filaments are short, beginning 

 some distance from the free edge of the stomodaeum as shown in Fig. 13. The 

 gonads (the specimen was a female) occur below the ventral mesenterial filaments 

 and are attached to all six of the ventral mesenteries. Numerous nematocysts 

 (001 mm.) were observed in the peristome. They are spindle-shaped, with very fine 

 points. 



There can be no doubt that Dr Willey's specimen belongs to the same species 

 as that originall}' described by Quoy and Gaimard from Vanikoro, as the specimen 

 obtained from the Aru islands by Wallace (now in the British Museum) and as those 

 which occur on the reefs of Celebes. It is very similar in some respects to the 

 specimen described as Clavidaria injlata by Schenk (24), and it is quite probable that 

 Schenk's specimen was but a young form of this species. 



Now that we know something more of its anatomy it may seem to be an open 

 question whether it would not be advisable to constitute a new genus for this species, 

 the principal characters of which would be the tubular connections between the body 

 walls of adjacent polyps in large specimens, the horny fibres of the mesogloea, the 

 large spicules, the tag-like processes of the dorsal mesenterial filaments and the remote 

 position of the ventral mesenterial filaments. We do not propose however to give it 

 a new generic name in this paper, although we wish to emphasise the fact that the 

 species stands very much apart in the genus. It is a matter of some regret that 

 owing to the manner in which the polyps contracted when killed they are not suffi- 

 ciently well preserved to give good results of cellular histology. We are not able 

 therefore to say for certain whether gland cells occur in the dorsal mesenterial filaments 

 and in the stomodaeum or do not. All that can be said is that the histology is 

 apparently very different from that of Tubipora and that the matter is well worthy 

 of further investigation. It may be mentioned for the guidance of collectors that 

 when polyps exhibit an inflated appearance after death they are usually distended 

 with sea-water and practically sealed to the preserving fluid in which they are 

 immersed. Such polyps should be slit open and placed in fresh spirit or the endoderm 

 will macerate and the specimens be useless for histological investigatiou. 



ALCYONACEA 



The specimens collected by Dr Willey, which belong to this sub-order, have proved 

 to be of considerable interest. 



There are two species of the genus Telesto, one of which is new, two species of 

 Nephthya, and five species of Spotigodes, one of which is new. 



The sub-family Siphonogorginae is represented by one species of the little known 

 genus Chironephthya. 



The Alcyonidae are represented \>y four species of Alcyonium, of which one is 

 new, three species of Sarcophytum and four of Lohophytum. 



The representatives of the Xeniidae are five in number, one being new to science. 

 They are described in a separate paper by Dr Ashworth. 



66—2 



