198 M. Lacaze-Duthiers mi the Structure 0/ Antipathes. 



rays, which are not quite half as long as the body : the last 

 anal ray prolonged^ The ventral fin extends beyond the origin 

 of the anal. Body light brownish, marbled with darker ; the 

 lower part of the sides of the trunk and tail with numerous 

 pearl-coloured vertical lines ; belly pearl-coloured. Sides of the 

 head with numerous small white ocelli edged with violet. Both 

 dorsal fins with large, rather irregular, rounded whitish spots, 

 each with a narrow violet edge ; there are fine white dark-edged 

 lines and dots within the large spots; a narrow, black, blue- 

 edged spot behind the extremity of the first dorsal spine. Caudal 

 and pectoral fins with white dots, which are mixed with brown 

 ones on the lower half of the caudal. Oblique pearl-coloured 

 lines behind each anal ray. 



Melbourne. The description is taken from a male specimen, 

 5 inches long. 



XXIII. — On the Structure 0/ Antipathes. 

 By M. Lacaze-Duthiers*. 



Two species form the subject of this memoir — namely, Anti- 

 pathes suhpinnata and A. Larix (Esper, Lamarck). Of all the 

 Corals, they are the most difficult to investigate ; and no doubt 

 it is on this account that we have so little precise information 

 about them. They live at great depths, and are only brought 

 up by those coral-fishers who work upon the rocks. They are 

 formed of so delicate a tissue that the shortest exposure to the 

 air is sufficient to dry them up ; and as it is only with great 

 trouble that the fishers can be persuaded to keep them in water 

 while they are at sea, the naturalist has much difficulty in ob- 

 taining them in a fit state for examination. 



In the two species which I have observed living, the polypes 

 are regularly arranged in a line upon one side only of the 

 branches — namely the upper surface, or that which is opposite 

 to the attachment of the polypary. 



Each animal, as observed by Ellis, Solander, and Dana, has 

 six tentacles, arranged in a rosette round the mouth. These 

 tentacles do not appear to elongate themselves much; most 

 frequently they seemed to be merely six large tubercles ; but, 

 perhaps, in the normal condition at the bottom of the sea the 

 elongation may be greater. The body does not rise into a tube 

 projecting above the sarcosoma, but only forms a mamilla : in 

 this respect it is very different from that of Gerardia. 



The diameter of the rosette of the largest polype in A. suh- 

 pinnata does not exceed I millim., and it is larger than that of 

 A. Larix. Judging from the observations which can be made 



* Translated from the ' Comptes Rendus ' for July 25, 1864. 



