84: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Locality. — To the east of Graciosa, Azores, 454 metres. 



To the east of Pico, Azores, 318 metres. 

 With reference to S. ochracea Studer (xxxviii.) makes the following 

 observations : — 



This species is more delicate than S. flagellum. The axis is calcareous; 

 white ; rigid near the base, flexible near the tip. The polyps occur on two 

 sides of the stem ; towards' the base in two irregular rows, but merging into 

 only one row on each side. They have the shape of cylindrical warts or 

 truncated cones, and stand almost perpendicularly to the coenenchyma. 

 They are 2 mm. in height, and about 2 mm. in diameter at the base. The 

 spicules are very like those of S. flagellum ; they consist of double-clubs, 

 with large warts and spines at the two ends : sometimes of a yellowish ochre, 

 sometimes of a white colour. They are slightly larger than those of 

 S. flagellum. 



The colour of the colony is yellowish brown to orange. 



Taking into consideration what has already been seen with regard to 

 variation in the group, we see no reason for separating this off as a distinct 

 species. 



Locality. — To the east of Pico, Azores, 318 metres. 



We have examined a beautiful, whip-like colony, 37 cm. in lengtli, from 

 Naples,' which we refer to this species. The diameter near the base is 2 mm. ; 

 but near the tip it is only 1 mm. It gradually tapers upwards, but the 

 terminal 25 cm. are almost uniform in thickness throughout. 



The coenenchyma is very thin and finely granular ; the surface is marked 

 by longitudinal ridges and furrows, which are the outward expression of the 

 internal canals ; two of these are much deeper than the others. The general 

 colour of the colony is reddish orange, but the tips of the verrucae are 

 distinctly more reddish. 



The lower 2'5 cm. of the stem are devoid of polyps ; this is followed by 

 two opposite longitudinal bare tracts which persist to the tip of the colony. 

 On the other two sides the polyps are disposed in a single row in each series. 

 This gives the colony a very markedly bilateral appearance. The verrucae 

 are cylindrical, tall, and narrow. They average 2 mm. in height and 1 mm. 

 in diameter. They stand sometimes in opposite pairs ; but the more common 

 arrangement is alternate. The polyps on the same side are separated by 

 distances of about 3'5 mm The verrucae are longitudinally striated; and 

 the summit has a very definite eight-rayed structure. They stand almost 



' This specimen was given to me for identification by Professor J. Arthur Thomson, who 

 suggested that it might be incorporated in this memoir. 



