36 Transactions of the Society. 



in which a calcareous deposit is embedded. The polyps are 

 restricted to a region occupying two-thirds to three-fourths of the 

 circumference of the coeneuchyma ; a longitudinal bare tract 

 occupies the remaining part. The verrucse are long and cluli- 

 shaped, and are evidently not retractile into the coeneuchyma ; 

 they are closely packed together, and are covered with minute 

 overlapping, scale -like spicules. The flat thin scales on the aboral 

 surface of tlie tentacles forms a sort of pseudo-operculum to tlie 

 partially retracted. polyp. 



The chief types of spicules are (1) in the coenenchyma very 

 thick spindles with close-set irregular warts, passing by gradual 

 transitions to almost spherical warty forms ; (2) in the polyps (a) 

 long thick spindles with few long warts ; {h) irregular forms and 

 crosses ; {r) small flat thin scales. 



Hicksonella flagellata sp. n. 



Elongated filiform colonies which, at any rate in the younger 

 specimens, have only a trace of a very open spiral structure. Tlie 

 ccenenchyma is extremely tliin and densely spiculose. The axis is 

 horny and calcareous, and is composed of concentric laminae. The 

 polyps are confined to a broad longitudinal band occupying about 

 two-thirds of the circumference. The verrucse are elongated and 

 club-shaped, and are not retractile into the coenenchyma. The 

 spicules are exceedingly minute, and very characteristic. They 

 consist for the most part of (1) thick massive, warty spindles ; (2) 

 peculiar, bilaterally symmetrical forms, w-ith a sort of thick folia- 

 ceous expansion ; (3) bi-rotate forms (like those in the Suberogorgia 

 verriculata) ; and (4) scales. 



Hicksonella capensis sp. n. 



Colony elongate, simple, and irregularly twisted in a spiral 

 manner. The coenenchyma is thin, and very spiculose. The axis 

 is compcsed of concentric horny and calcareous laminae. The 

 polyps are disposed in a broad longitudinal band ; they are very 

 long, slender, and slightly club-shaped ; they are covered with small 

 spicules transversely arranged, and are not retractile into the 

 coenenchyma. The spicules consist of («) short, slightly warty 

 spindles ; {b) longer, and more warty spindles : (c) irregular forms ; 

 (fZ) flat, irregular scales ; and {e) crosses. 



Distribution. — (1) Geographical. All three species were found 

 oH the east coast of South Africa, and therefore their inclusion in 

 the Family (lorgonellidffi does not extend the distribution of that 

 family. 



n. apiralis. Off Cape Morgan, 



H.Jlagdluta. Off Cape Morgan. 



//. capensis. Red CliH', south of Morewood Cave, Natal. 



