Simpson — A Revision of the GorcfoneUidae. 9.'i 



XXV.— Scirpearia farcata. Figs. 69-91. 



Scirpearia furcata Hiclcson, xv., p. 822; figs. 8 and 9. 



Scirpmria furcata var. (?) Hickson xv., p. 822. 



Scirpeardlu indica Hickson, xv., p. 822 ; fig. 10. 



Scirpearia sp. (?) Thomson and Henderson, xxxix., p. 313, I'l. IV. 



fig. 1 ; I'l. v., fig. 10. 

 Scirpearellti sp. B. Thomson and Henderson, xxxix., p. 312. 



Ju7iceUa elowjttta (Val.) Hickson, x., p. 821. 



Sdrpearella aurantiuca Th. & Eussell, p. 103. 



Perhaps no species in the whole family shows so great variability or has 

 given so much trouble as the one now under consideration. Hickson formed 

 two new species on fragments from the Maldives, and referred one to 

 Scirpearia, the other to Scirpearella. At the same time he liesitatingly 

 referred some fragments to the species Juncella e/ongata. Thomson and 

 Henderson, in the Ceylon Alcyonaria Iteport, refrained from naming some 

 frat'ments which did not seem to agree with any of the formerly described 

 species. They referred one to the genus Scirpearia as /Sar^earia sp. (?), the 

 other to Scirpearella as Scirpearella sp. b.. and in so doing give the following 

 note : — 



" Our impression is that the elongated forms of Scirpearella, .Juncella, and 

 the like, so monotonous in general appearance, so perplexingly different when 

 one gets beneath the surface, are subject to great variability." 



Before proceeding to ditterentiate the reasons upon which I have mergeil 

 all these species under the earliest name it might be well to give a short 

 description of the different specimens Professor Hickson has very kindly 

 sent me small ]K)rtions of his Scirpmrclln indica and Juncclhi clongata, as 

 well as the type specimen of Scirpearia furcata figured in liis report. 

 Professor Thomson has also placed pieces of the Ceylon specimens at my 

 disposal. This has been of immense service to me, as only by means of a 

 critical examination of these and otiier .specimens to be described later, could 

 a thorough specific determination be arrived at. 



Scirpearia sp. (?) Thomson and Henderson. 



A beautiful colony, 41 cm. in length. Tlie base has been liroken oil', but 

 probably not far from the present base. The main stem, after a distance of 

 4 cm., bifurcates, and gives origin to two long, whip-like branches; these are 

 almost equaljn length. The diameter of the main stem is 2-.5 mm., that of 

 the branches at their origin 2 mm., and near the tip 1-5 mm. There is thus 

 only a very gradual tapering. 



