Knowledge, of the Alcijonaria. 189 



am able to say that it is a true ViUogorgia of tlie Paramuricea 

 division. The mouths of the verruca; liave the normal number 

 of eight valves, not ten, as stated by Gray ; and they are 

 terminated by sharji, distinctly projecting fusiform spicules. 

 The verrucffi are not confined, as a rule, to the lateral margins, 

 as stated by the same author, but, as in other Paramuricece^ 

 distributed over all parts of the surface of the branches. In 

 general appearance it much resembles V. mauritiensis. The 

 fusiform cortical spicules (i.) are sharply pointed, have a few 

 angular sharp tubercles, and resemble those of EcMnogorgia 

 intermedia^ Studer; size '32 by '035 millim. The stellates of 

 the cortex (ii.) have long slender and rather irregular and 

 curved arms, from four to five in number, the fifth in a different 

 plane from the rest ; the body is usually rather elongate ; a few 

 medium-sized tubercles on body and arms ; maxiujum length 

 •212, thickness of body "035, of arms at base '026 millira. 

 Tlie spicules of the verruca; are either (iii.) elongate fusiform, 

 exactly like (i.), but measuring '46 by '035 millim., or (iv.) 

 coarser fusiform, with one part bent at a considerable angle 

 to the rest of the spicule, sharply pointed and tuberculate 

 after the same manner as (i.), size "ooo by "071 millim. Colour 

 greyish brown, except near base, where the black colour of the 

 axis appears through the cortex. 



Hah. Unknown. 



Ohs. The genus Boarella lapses altogether, since B. flahel- 

 lata is the type and the only species belonging to it. 



ViUogorgia mauritiensis, sp. n. (Fig. 1.) 



Corallum branching frequently in one plane ; branches sub- 

 dichotomous, showing tendency to be suppressed on the inner 

 aspect, given off at intervals of from 7 to 28 millim. as a rule ; 

 angle of branching varying from about 30° in the case of the 

 larger, to from 45^^ to 80° in the terminal branches. Stem and 

 main branches slender in proportion to size of corallum ; ter- 

 minal branches filiform, viz. '4 millim. in diameter excluding 

 the verruca; ; anastomosis frequent in central parts, forming 

 elongate meshes, uncommon near periphery. Axis of main 

 branches strongly compressed laterally, the antero-posterior 

 diameter being about twice that of the lateral diameter. Sub- 

 stance of axis black, glabrous, tough and elastic, and light, 

 except in the ultimate twigs, where it is brown. Cortex very 

 siio'ht, forming a brownish film on the main branches, but 

 not concealing the axis, becoming slightly thicker, viz. about 

 •07 millim., towards the periphery. Verrucse distributed over 

 all parts of the branches, not leaving any posterior bare 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol. ix. 14 



