82 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



XXI. — Scii'pearia flagellum emend. Figs. 49-60. 



1863. Juncella fiagellum Johnson, xviii., p. 505. 



1864. „ „ „ xix., p. 142. 

 1870. VimineUa „ Gray, xii., p. 29. 

 1881. Scirpearia „ Studer, xxxvi., p. 558. 

 1891. „ ochracea Studer, xxxvi., p. 559. 



1901. „ fiagellum Studer, xxxviii., p. 53, PI. ix., figs. 1-3; PI. xi., 



figs. 10 and 11. 

 1901. „ ochracea Studer, xxxviii., p. 53, PI. ix., figs. 4-6. 

 1909. „ fiagellum Thomson and Kussell, xliii., p.. 163, PI. 8, 



fig. 2. 



This is a very old species, aud was originally referred to the genus Juncella. 

 In 1 870 Gray assigned it to his new genus Viminella ; but with no apparent 

 reason, and without giving any further specific content. He, however, gives 

 as a synonym, J. caians Verrill ; but as this was based on purely external 

 characters, it is extremely doubtful whether much stress can be laid on the 

 identity with the latter species. We have for this reason excluded it from 

 the list of synonyms. In 1901 Studer rehabilitated the species, and gave a 

 description of the spicules and, also, very good figures of the colonies. He 

 referred the species to the genus Scirpearia. He, however, established 

 another species — namely, ochracea, which caianot now be regarded as distinct 

 from that under consideration, and which we therefore give as a synonym. 



With regard to Juncella flagelltnn, Johnson, in establishing the species, 

 says : — 



" I have ventured to assign this coral to the genus Juncella. Valenciennes, 

 a naturalist for whom I entertain the highest respect, considers it to be 

 the Scirpearia mirahilis of Cuvier. There is, however, so much doubt as to 

 what the coral so named by the illustrious Frenchman really is, that I 

 hesitate to ascribe mine to that species — the more especially as it clearly 

 falls within the definition of the genus Juncella' (as it appears in the 

 " Histoire Xaturelle des Coraillaires " of Milne-Edwards, vol. 1., p. 186), 

 forming a member of the section of Gorgonellaceae, which is made up of 

 Gorgouiad corals, having a smooth bark and a sub-lithoid axis, containing so 

 much carbonate of lime as to effervesce in muriatic acid. From J micella 

 jwncea Esper and J. vimen Val. (species found at the Island of Bourbon) it 



' The iutroduction of the study of spicules has, however, removed it from the genus Juncella, 

 from the fact that it contains no club-shaped spicules. 



