230 MR. 8, 0. RIDLEY ON THE CORALLIIDE. [Feb. 7, 
or writings, with Precious Coral appear to be always of this foreign 
type, it seems certain that it is generally known in that country as 
a foreign product. The pieces of coral which actually form part 
of the ornaments, and which the men clasp or carry, is certainly 
not the form under notice, but appears to be Corallium nobile 
in all cases; it was of rather a pale colour in all the specimens 
which [ have seen. All these specimens are antecedent in date of 
manufacture to the period at which the Japanese ports were opened 
to European commerce. Prof. Moseley has drawings of quite a similar 
character. Precious coral is widely used in the East for ornaments, 
especially in China, where Mr. Franks informs me that an Empress’s 
necklace has been made of alternate pieces of jade and coral. In 
this case it is probably all derived from the Mediterranean, as the 
value placed upon it in the instance just mentioned is more than the 
Chinese would have set upon a native production, or probably even 
on one from Japan. Prof. Moseley says that the Japanese use 
Corallium as an ornament and in “ netsukis’’ abundantly, that he 
imagined it came from the Mediterranean, but that several residents 
have told him that it occurs native in Japan. None was found there 
by the ‘Challenger.’ A friend of Prof. Moseley told him that he had 
seen plenty of Red Coral which had been obtained at Japan, but 
subsequently was doubtful that it might not have been a Distichopora. 
After considering all the evidence, I have still doubts as to whether 
the present specimens really are from Japan. It seems certain that 
much Corallium nobile has been imported into that country, probably 
by way of China. This is shown by Mr. Franks’s ornaments to 
constitute at any rate the main origin of this substance for manufac- 
turing-purposes in Japan. As the present species, from its hardness, 
compact structure, and deep colour, is hardly less fitted for those 
purposes than C. nodile itself, it would almost certainly have been 
thus employed if it were generally known in the country. 
In regard to the relations of the form, it may be seen at once 
to agree very closely with Pleurocorallium johnsoni (Pl. IX. fig. 5) in 
all essential characters, as the two forms of spicules, which are almost 
exactly identical in the two species—the cylindrical radiate of var. 
elatior having, however, but 6 radii as a rule; the axis, also, is 
striated and party-coloured in the stem, instead of white and smooth ; 
and the cortex, besides being thinner, is: scarlet instead of cream- 
coloured. However, it is undoubtedly a Pleurocorallium. Its rela- 
tions to the original form of the species of which I have made it a 
variety are less certain. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, we are 
not acquainted with the characters of the spicules of Pleurocorallium 
secundum. From its resemblance to the present species in the party- 
coloured axis, pinnated branches, scarlet cortex with truncate Pleu- 
rocorallian verrucee, it appears at any rate to be nearly related to it; 
but as the verrucz are said to be placed mainly on the pinne and not, 
as here, on the face of the branches, I think it may possibly be 
distinct. In that case I should propose the name elatius for the 
present form, on account of its more erect and ramose habit ; mean- 
while it may stand as var. elatior. The pinnate arrangement of the 
