Simpson — A Revision of the Gorgonellidac. 67 



polyps colony. This arrangement is sometimes obscured by the addition of 

 young polyps between the older ones. Towards the apex of the stem the 

 polyps are in three rows, and at the very apex they are opposite. When 

 withdrawn the verrucae are nipple-like. 



The coenenchyma is moderately thick. 



Locality. — "Challenger" Station 177, off the New Hebrides; depth, 

 130 fms. ; bottom, volcanic sand. 



8. nibra. — Colony simple (not complete), but 620 nun. in length. The 

 axis is calcareous, brittle, with two shallow grooves. 



The polyps are numerous, arranged in spirals on tlie stem. Towards the 

 termination of the axis they are disposed in an alternate manner on the 

 opposite sides of the stem. 



The coenenchyma is thin, with a compact layer of spindles and warty 

 clubs. 



The colour in spirits is light red. 



Locality. — "Challenger" Station 2.32, Hyalouema grcjuud, oil' Japan ; 

 345 fms. ; bottom, green mud. 



S. monili/orme Thomson and Henderson is also referable to this 

 species. 



Locality. — Eight miles west of Interview Island, Audamans; 270-45 fms. 



From the foregoing it is obvious that, except in the question of branching — 

 a character to which very little importance can be attached, since the 

 specimens are nearly all incomplece — the macroscopic structure shows a 

 range of variation, such as we expect to find in long flagelliform colonies. 

 For this reason it is impossible to consider the question of diflerent species on 

 these characters alone. Preparations of spicules from corresponding parts of 

 the different colonies show no great disparity either in the tj'pes tliemselves 

 or in the characters and measurements of the types, so that we are forced to 

 rank these different specimens as one variable species liaving a type of 

 spiculation diflerent from others known at present. 



Amongst the numerous undescribeil specimens wliich have been examined 

 in the preparation of this memoir none were found to agree with the 

 "Challenger" forms; but this fact may not be considered remarkable wlicn 

 we take into consideration the localities from which tliey were obtained. 



The spicules of this species are large and very cliaracteristic (fig. 27 a-ff). 

 They consist of large warty spindles, some of which sliow a trace of a 

 constriction. Two forms of these may )>e recognized — (a) slender and very 

 warty, and (b) more massive spindles. In addition to these, the most deliuile 

 type is the large double-club ; tliese have very massive warty ends, and 

 practically no constriction, and some have more hemispherical heads tlian the 



K 2 



