Zoological Society. 69 



exceptional character, the author feels strongly impressed with the 

 belief that its eiFect has possibly been to give increased rigidity and 

 immobility to the flexible crust of the earth, and to produce a state 

 of equilibrium which might otherwise have been of long and slow 

 attainment, whereby it has been rendered fit and suitable for the 

 habitation and pursuits of civilized man*. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



February 1 1, 1862.— Dr. J. E. Gray, V.P., in the Chair. 



Description of some New Species of Spoggodes and of 

 A New Allied Genus (Morchellana) in the Collection 

 OF THE British Museum. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., 

 V.P.Z.S., F.L.S., ETC. 



The genus Spoggodes was established by Lesson on a coral that 

 was described by Esper under the name of Alcyonium fioridum. It 

 is characterized by the whole of its substance being membranous, 

 very loosely cellular within, and covered externally with a layer of 

 fusiform spicula which are most abundant round the cells. 



M. Milne-Edwards, in his ' Coralliaires,' only describes a single 

 species. 



The species of the genus in the British Museum may be divided 

 into two groups or subgenera. 



I. The polypes crowded together at the end of the branchlet, and 

 the groups more or less surrounded by larger spicula of the 

 branchlet. Spoggodes. 



I. Spoggodes Florida. 



The coral pale purplish-red (in spirits) ; stem thick, much 

 branched, strengthened with very slender elongate purple spicules ; 

 the branchlets short, clustered at the end of the branches, and form- 

 ing convex heads or cells ; cells fringed with the very slender elon- 

 gated spicules, and furnished with white, only partially contracted 

 polypes. 



Alcypnium floridum, Esper, Pflanz. iii. 49, Alcy. t. 16, dry. 



Xinia furpureay Lamk. Hist. A. s. V. ii. 401, from Esper. 



Neptea floridtty Blainv. Man. Act. 523, from Esper. 



Spoggodes celosia, Lesson, 111. Zool. t. 21 ; M.-Edwards, Coral- 

 liaires, i. 129, t. Bl. f. 1. 



Spoggodea celosia, Dana, Zoophytes, 626, t. 59. f. 4. 



Hab. Australia ; Sharks' Bay (Mr. Rayner) ; Philippine Islands 

 (//. Cuming, Esq.). 



* In this and his former paper the author has used the term " pleistocene " 

 in the sense of post-pleiocene, including also some beds placed in the newer 

 pleiocene. 



