46 MISS ISA L. HILES ON GOEGONACEAN [Jau. 17, 



The nostrils are much larger even than in Palceornis and as near 

 together, the interorbital vacuity is large, the squamosal is not 

 expanded distally, the temporal fossa is small, the auditory meatus 

 is narrower, and the post-auditory area broader than in any of 

 these other three genera of Palceornithince. 



The skull of Pachynus differs from that of Chrysoiis and Piorms 

 (between which it is placed by Salvadori) in its incomplete orbit 

 and its extremely rudimentary postorbital process. The squamosal 

 process is straighter and narrower, and the post-auditory area some- 

 what broader. 



Brotogerys likewise differs from Conurus in its larger and more 

 approximate nostrils, its very small postorbital process, and its 

 more expanded post-auditory area. 



The skull of Posocephalus has large nostrils, a small postorbital 

 process, a straight, rather short, squamosal. It certainly differs 

 in these respects from its supposed ally Caica. The post-auditory 

 region is extremely tumid, and the crescentic border of the 

 meatus forms a deep notch above. I am unable to draw from 

 the cranial characters of this genus any clear inference as to its 

 closer relationships. 



3. Report on the Gorgonacean Corals collected by Mr. J. 

 Stanley Gardiner at Funafuti. By Isa L. Hiles, 

 B.Sc. (Yict.)_, Owens College, Manchester.^ 



[Eeceived November 2, 1898.] 



(Plates I.-IV.) 



Of the forms of Gorgonacean Corals sent to me by Mr. Gardiner 

 for identification and examination the majority belong to the 

 family Muriceidas. 



There is one Gorgonellid — VerrvceUa granifera Kolliker ; two 

 Sclerogorgic forms of Gorgonidse- — Suherogorgia verriculata Esper, 

 and Kerceides horeni Wright & Studer ; and one Plexaurid, 

 Evplexaura aiiiijpathes Klunzinger. 



Among the representatives of the Muriceid® there are three 

 new forms — Villogorgia rubra, Acawjptogorgia spinosa, and 

 MuriceUa Jlexilis. 



The specimens have been very carefully preserved in spirit, but 

 unfortunately in some cases the endoderm is not complete, and 

 therefore they are not so useful for anatomical examination as 

 they would otherwise be. 



] am much indebted to Professor Hickson for t he great help 

 he has given me, especially with regard to the literature. The 

 classification adopted is that used by Wright and Studer in the 

 ' Challenger' Report on Alcyonaria. 



' Communicated by Prof. Sydney J. Hickson, F.E.S., F.Z.S. 



