CORALS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 889 



1881. Seirpearia fldf/eJI iim Stiuler 

 1891. Scirpearia ochnifva Studer. 

 1901. Scirpearia Jiayell um Studev. 

 1901. Scirpearia ochracea Studer. 

 1909. Scirpearia Jiagellum Thomson & Russell. 



I have quoted the preceding synonyms from Simpson's 2).aper. 

 Tlie following South African localities at which this species 

 occurs, may be noted : — ■ 



P.F. 12855. Buffalo River, East London, N. 15 miles. Depth, 



310 fathoms. Nature of bottom, coral and mud. 

 P.F. 12061. O'Keil Peak, j^.W. | W. 9^ miles. Depth, 90 



fathoms. Na,ture of bottom, broken shells. 

 P.F. 12107. O'Neil Peak, N.N.W. | W. 8 miles. Depth, 55 



fathoms. Nature of bottom, broken shells. 

 P.F. 11586. Amatikulu River mouth, N.W. | N. 20 miles. 



Depth, 62 fathoms. Nature of bottom, rocks and sponges 



(hard ground). 



HiCKSONELLA SPIRALIS SimpSOU. 

 J'nncella spiralis Hickson. 



This species was described from the Cape by Hickson, later 

 revised by Simpson and named HicksoneUa spiralis. Unfortunately 

 the generic name, HicksoneUa, is ah-eady preoccupied for an 

 entirely different Alcyonarian genus. 



Simpson has given the following diagnosis of this species : — ■ 

 " Colony unbranched ; in the larger forms spirally twisted. The 

 coenenchyma is thin and densely packed with scale-like spicules ; 

 the axis is composed of concentric laminae of a horny substance 

 in which a calcareous deposit is embedded. The polyps are re- 

 stricted to a region occupying two-thirds to three-fourths of the 

 circumference of the coenenchyma ; a longitudinal l)are tract oc- 

 cupies the remaining part. The verrucse are long and club-shaped, 

 and are evidently not retractile into the coenenchyma; they are 

 closely packed together, and are covered with minute overlapping, 

 scale-like spicules. The flat thin scales on the aboral surface of 

 the tentacles form a sort of pseudo-operculum to the partially 

 retracted polyp. 



The chief types of spicules are : — (1) In the coenenchyma, very 

 thick spindles with close-set irregular warts, passing by gradual 

 transitions to almost spherical warty forms : (2) in the polyps, {a) 

 long thick spindles with a few long warts, (&) irregular forms and 

 crosses, (c) small, flat, thin scales." 



Localities, ete.— P.F. 13152 a. Cape Morgan, N. i W. 10| 

 miles. Depth, 77 fathoms. Nature of bottom, rocks and broken 

 shells. 



P.F. 13121. Cape Morgan, N.N.E. 9| miles. Depth, 47 

 fathoms. Nature of bottom, broken shells. 



Hickson's specimens were also collected off Cape Morgan, at a 

 depth of 36 fathoms. 



