1899.] ON THE COKAILIID^; OP MAUEIRA. 57 



This species ranges from the Red Sea to the Loyalty Islands 

 and Funafuti, and has also been found at Singapore, Amboyna, 

 and the Philippines. Mr. Andrews's collection comprises three 

 specimens. They all showed the reddish flesh-tint which Semper 

 says characterizes the female when alive, the male being a dark 

 brown. 



SiPtTNCULUS Linn. 



6. SiPUNCULUS EDULis Lamarck. 



Lamarck, Animaux sans Vertebres, 1st ed. vol. iii. p. 79. 

 Sluiter, Natuurk. Tijdschr. Nederl. Ind., Bd. xli. p. 148, Bd. 



xlv. p. 484. 

 Shipley, Zoological Eesults etc, "Willey, Cambridge, pt. ii. 

 1898. 

 This species, which is eaten by the Chinese, is very variable in 

 character and approaches 8. cumanensis in many features. The 

 two specimens collected at Christmas Island were of a decidedly 

 pinkish hue, which faded at places into a greyish yellow. 



5. Notes on the Coralliidts of Madeira, with Descriptions of 

 two new Species. By James Yate Johnson, C.M.Z.S. 



. [Eeceived December 3, 1898.] 



(Plates V.-VII.) 



Pam. COEALLIIDiE. 



Gen. Pleurocoeallium Gray 

 (including Hemicorallium Gray). 



The genus PleurocoraUium is distinguished from the genus 

 Corallium by the following characteristics : — All the species branch 

 in one plane ; the prominent polype-cells are seated on one face of 

 the branches ; and a spicule shaped like a binocular opera-glass or 

 like two carafes united at the sides is present in the cortical 

 coenenchyma. 



Madeira appears to be the headquarters of this genus, three of 

 the four known species being found there. The fourth species 

 {PI. secundum Dana) is doubtfully attributed to the Sandwich 

 Islands, and its variety, elatior Eidley, to Japan. 



There can be no doubt that the hard axis of these corals is 

 capable of taking a polish, and might be worked up into ornamental 

 articles having a commercial value if the corals occurred more 

 abundantly. As it is, specimens are met with so rarely that the 

 demands of museums of natural history cannot be supplied. 



It may be remarked here that although the Corallium rubrum 

 or C. nobile of authors is found in the Mediterranean, which is to 

 the north of Madeira, and at the Cape Verd Islands, 900 miles to 



