1882.] MR. S. 0. RIDLEY ON THE CORALLIIDZ. 229 
of it; the spicule is thus sexradiate. (Varieties of the typical form 
occur, in which both the tubercles of the antero-posterior faces may 
be on one side; in this case one of them may be double, or one of 
them may be subterminal and appear to project beyond the end of 
the shaft; or one of them may be wanting, or one may occur in 
addition at one or both ends; in the latter case the result is an 
octoradiate like that of Corallium nobile.) Tubercles short, broad, 
expanding from their base into fungiform disks, themselves tuber- 
culate with numerous short, rather blunt, small tubercles. Size 
(average maximum) 0°7 by 0°53 mm. (ii.) Second form of spicule 
shaped like an opera-glass, viz. like two short globular bottles 
attached by their sides; it consists of two subspherical lobes sepa- 
rated by a constriction, generally with tubercular excrescences borne 
on secondary lobes on their surface, and minute tubercles on their 
surface and edges; the upper margin of each lobe is produced into 
a short, strongly tuberculate, handle-like process of variable shape. 
Generally coloured pale red. Average maximum size:—length 
(across lobes) 06 mm., breadth (from apex of handle to lower extre- 
mity of lobes) 0°53 mm., maximum thickness of lobe from front to 
back 0°35 mm. (It is practically identical with the similar spicule 
of P. johnsoni.) 
Hab. Said to come from Japan. 
This most interesting form is represented by two portions, perhaps, 
but not certainly, belonging to the same colony. The long diameter 
of the present common stem of the larger specimen is 11 mm., the 
lesser diameter (antero-posterior) 9 mm.; these thicknesses are 
maintained approximately for most of the first internode, which is 
25 mm. long; probable maximum lateral spread of branches 60 to 
70 mm.; height above present base probably, when complete, about 
200 mm. 
Mr. Moseley has very liberally presented the specimens to the 
national collection ; and I am much indebted to him for this oppor- 
tunity of describing them. They were stated by the dealer from 
whom he obtained them to have been received from Japan, whence it 
was said that hundredweights came into the market, which, however, 
found but little sale. The locality is perhaps correct ; but I have been 
unable, after diligent search, to find any record, either in scientific 
writings and travels, or in works of general information, of the occur- 
rence of any native Japanese coral which was at all likely to belong to 
the Coralliide. To Messrs. Franks and Read, of the Ethnological 
Department inthe British Museum, I am much indebted for informa- 
tion bearing on the subject. Mr. Franks has in his private collection 
a number of Japanese carved figures, called in Japan “ netsuki,” in 
most of which small dark men of a peculiar physiognomy, not 
Japanese, are represented as carrying coral, or (though this point 
is not so certain) as bringing it up from the sea. The coral thus 
depicted is either of actual specimens of Corallium or consists 
of carvings apparently representing it. Japanese writings call these 
men “black men.’ It is certain that they are not intended for 
Japanese ; and as the men associated, whether in the ornaments 
