18G MISS RUTH M. HARRISON ON ALCYONARIA 



Colour : Sterile stem a light brick-red : main branches white, shading 

 gradually from pink to red twigs ; polyps red with white tentacles. 

 Hah. Bay o£ Bengal. 



Spongodes biformata, n. sp. 



Two lower branches flattened, forming two nearly complete semicircles 

 round si em ; above these two lateral branches, and above these again the 

 main stem divides into two branches which further subdivide and bear polyps 

 in bundles of 4-8 on stalks of 1-2 mm. Polyp heads protected by bundle of 

 3-5 spicules, two or three of which project slightly. On the lower flattened 

 branches polyps alternately borne on stalks or sessile on the edge of the 

 flattened branch. Branches very distinctly in one plane. Spicules of 

 anthocodia en chevron in 8 double rows of 4-6 spicules each, all the same 

 size and not projecting beyond bases of tentacles. 



Colour : Base nearly white ; all other spicules of stem, bran(;hes, antho- 

 codia, and tentacles yellow. 



Hob. Bay of Bengal. 



B. Form belonging to the Divaricate rigida group of Kiikenthal. 



Spongodes rubescens, n. sp. 



Whole colony very firm and rigid ; main stem divided into numerous short 

 branches which subdivide into smaller branches and twigs bearing polyps in 

 groups of 2-8 at about right angles to branch. Lower branches flattened, 

 one partly encircling the stem, others forming flattened plates with polyps 

 all round the edges. One spicule projects about 1 mm. beyond each polyp. 

 Spicules of anthocodia more or less in 8 double rows, but chevron arrange- 

 ment not very distinct ; spicules projecting beyond bases of tentacles. 

 Tentacles with double rows of deep red spicules. 



Colour : Stem and main branches white ; secondary branches and twigs 

 yellow ; below the bunches of polyps the spicules show a red core, and there 

 is a gradual transition from yellow to red ; polyps red. 



Hah. Bay of Bengal. 



C, Form belonging to Umbellate ^onWa group of Kiikenthal. 



Spongodes Chimmoi, n. sp. 



Colony rigid, developed . in one plane. Stem with long stolons, some 

 reaching a length of 4*0 cm. Branches given off' all round the stem, the 

 lower ones at right angles and the upper ones vertical ; lower branches not 

 flattened. Polyp-bearing twigs closely crowded, giving a compact appearance 

 and regular outline to colony. Polyps in clusters of 8-16, at about right 

 angles to stalk, each polyp supported by a bundle of (generally) 3 spicules of 



