CORALS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 871 



Family Plexaurid^e. 



Eunicella jjcijnllosa Esper, p. 880. 

 Psamviogoygia pulchra, sp. ii., p. 881. 

 Euplexanra 7nedia, sp. n., p. 883. 



Family MALACOGORGiiDyE. 

 Malacogorgia capensis Hickson, p. 884. 



Family PrimnoiDjE. 



Stachyodes gilchristi, sp. n., p. 885. 

 Thouarella hicksoni, sp. n., p. 886. 



Family Gorgoniid^. 



Gorgonia capensis Hickson, p. 887. 

 Gorgonia Jlammea E. & S., p. 888. 



Family Gorgonellid^. 



Scirpearia furcata emend. Simpson, p. 888. 

 Scirpearia Jiagellum emend. Simpson, p. 888. 

 Hichsonella spi?'cdis Simpson = Juncella spiralis 



Hickson, p. 889. 



Family Briareid^. 

 Stiberia capensis, sp. n. (PI. XLIII. fig. 4 ; PI. XLV. 



figs. 4«-6".) 



The colony is of a dark i^ed colour, resembling that of Gorgonia 

 Jlammea E. & S.,and consists of (1) an encrusting base, (2) a more 

 or less cylindrical trunk, and (3) an expanded apical part. The 

 basal part is 10 mm. long, 13 mm. broad, and 6 mm. high. 

 The trunk is about 27 mm. in height, 6 mm. in diameter basally 

 and medially, and about 7 mm. apically. The lowest polyp is 

 situated on the trunk about 13 mm. from the base. About 

 fourteen polyps are situated near the apex of the trunk, and these 

 are almost entirely confined to three sides. The largest polyps of 

 this part are 2 mm. in height and 3 mm. in diameter. The 

 distance of the polyps from one another varies considerably, 

 namely from about 1 to 3 mm. The apical part of the colony is 

 about 14 mm. in height and 15-17 mm. in diameter (including 

 the polyps). The polyps are in this part more prominent than 

 in the trunk region. They vary from 2-3 mm. in height and 

 breadth. The polyps are irregularly scattered over the surface of 

 the apical part, and the interval between them varies from about 

 1 to 5 mm. There are thirty to forty polyps in the apical part. 



The entire surface of the colony is rough to the touch and has 

 a tough consistency. In the centre of the colony there is a horny 

 and limy axis ; in other words, the axis consists of horny tissue 

 and in association with this a large number of spicules. The 

 spicules of the axis usually differ in form from those of the cortex. 



60* 



