27 



dependent throughout their visible course : it occasionally happens that a little 

 palus may stand opposite to a single one of them. 



The columella is variable : sometimes it consists of a few thin twisted 

 ribbons which in places are confluent with two or three of the pali, sometimes 

 it consists of a few papilliform lamellae ; it is always small. 



The colour both of soft parts and of corallum is white. 



The diameter of an average (parent) calicle is about 3 millim. 



Dredged along with a beautiful little species of Cryptohelia, off the 

 Maldives at 210 fms. 



Though not a typical Cyathohelia, this species seems to me to be nearer 

 to this genus than to either Bathelia or Sclerohelia. 



xiii. SOLENOSMILIA, Martin Duncan. 



23. Solenosmilia Jeffreyi,n. sp. PL iii. figs. 3, 3a-b. 



Corallum dendroid, the terminal calyces of the branches having the typical 

 form i.e., two calyces imperfectly separated by fission, with a common fossa 

 and columella ; though it may happen that four or even eight calyces may 

 communicate, in which case there is no columella. 



In the distal halves, more or less, of the branches, large rugiform costae 

 which are few in number and are somewhat twisted are present ; but the 

 older parts of the branches have a smooth frosted appearance. 



The primary calyces are usually subcircular, with a deep fossa, and with 

 three complete cycles and an incomplete fourth cycle in six systems, of tbin 

 septa. The septa are of no great breadth and do not much encroach on the 

 fossa: though there is often a want of uniformity among them, no one system 

 is of markedly predominant size : they are sometimes straight, sometimes 

 twisted, and their surface is variably spicular. The columella is usually deep- 

 seated, and usually consists of a light-looking mass of thin loosely-twisted 

 processes. 



The calyces in and after recent fission are of every shape, from elliptical 

 to polygonal : large wrinkle-like costse are present, the septa are rather caprici- 

 ous in size and form, and the columella is often so deep as to be invisible. In 

 some cases no columella is present, and then the end of the branch for some 

 distance is quite hollow, so that the fossae of several corallites or pairs of 

 corallites are in widely open communication. 



The colour of the "living" corallum varies, from cinnamon in the older 

 parts, to yellowish brown in the parts newest formed. 



An immense mass, living and dead, was dredged off the Travancore coast 

 at 430 fms. 



