1882.] MR. S. O. RIDLEY ON THE CORALLIID^. 225 



belong to Corallium s. sir., and is perhaps identical with C. nohile 

 (see below, p. 232). In C. beckii the branches anastomose and are 

 terminally dilated, both of which are characters quite wanting (as 

 constant characters) in C. nobile as in all other known species ; its 

 systematic position in the family is quite uncertain. ^, 



I will now proceed to describe, first, the new species, and next the 

 form which I have said is probably distinct, and then give a table 

 showing the arrangement which these additions to our knowledge 

 seem to render necessary. I will conclude with some remarks on 

 the family and its allies, and some further notes on the fossil 

 forms. 



Corallium stylasteroides, sp. nov. (Plate IX. figs. 1-4). 



Normally branching in one plane. Stem stout, irregular in 

 transverse section. Branching luxuriant, apparently normally dicho- 

 tomous, but subject to considerable variation. Branches tortuous, 

 decidedly compressed laterally in the case of all but the peripheral 

 members, arising from the antero-lateral rather than the postero- 

 lateral aspects of the stem or branches from which they may be 

 derived, diminishing gradually in thickness towards the peripheral 

 part. A few small branchlets are scattered on sides of the larger 

 branches irregularly, and are, together with the terminal branchlets, 

 generally subclavate in form, consisting of a slightly contracted basal 

 portion and an enlarged, pointed, and polyhedric terminal portion. 

 Posterior aspect of main branches very convex, of lesser branches less 

 so. Axis of corallum hard, compact, but perforated by a few canals 

 (normal, or due to parasites?) of about 1 mm. diameter, which 

 issue distally at various points on the lateral aspects of the branches, 

 the openings being often covered by a curved lamina of hard 

 material ; colour pure white throughout. 



Longitudinal strise of surface fine, about four to 1 mm. ; grooves for 

 polypes generally with a narrow raised lip on each side; length of 

 grooves 1-5 to 2 mm. long (in direction of branches) by about '75 mm. 

 broad, and about '5 mm. deep in the centre, which consists of a smooth- 

 walled hemispherical pit. Surface of hard axis covered by a very thin 

 spicular cortex, which does not conceal the subjacent strife ; it is 

 beset with minute projecting points (visible only with the aid of a 

 lens) arranged along the striae of the hard axis ; colour of cortex 

 extremely pale orange. Verrucse placed in the grooves above men- 

 tioned, not projecting beyond their margins, or in slight depressions 

 distributed over all parts of the corallum, but most abundantly 

 on the lateral aspects of the main branches, and on the small ter- 

 minal and lateral projecting branchlets ; their peripheral part con- 

 sists of a pale pink collar, slightly darker than the general crust ; the 

 eight valves are very pale yellow in colour, actual diameter about 

 •75 mm. 



Spicules of cortex of one kind only, viz. small, cyhndrical, with 

 one terminal tubercle at each end, and a whorl of 3 tubercles sur- 

 rounding each end, and leaving a slight median space usually bare 

 of tubercles ; the tubercles are broad and truncate, the ends bearing 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1882, No. XV. 15 



