432 'prof. j. a. THOMSON and mr. w. d. Henderson on [Apr. 10, 



biunclies eiul in short sharp pointed cones, as seen, foi- instance, 

 in LepLogorgia ausiraliensis . On the older In-anehes the cienen- 

 cliyina is tliin and shows distinct longitudinal grooves, which can 

 be traced up into some of the twigs where the cauionchyma is 

 much thicker. Under a lens the general texture of the surface 

 is granular. As to the polyps, many show wart-like protruding 

 verructe, about 0*5 mm. in height, 0*75 in breadth, and 1 mm. in 

 length, the elongation being in the plane of the branch. In 

 many cases, however, the contraction is complete, and only slit- 

 like apertures indicate the position of the polyps. Tliey may 

 occur at any point, but on the main stem and largei' bra-nches 

 they tend to be lateral. 



The transpivreut pale yellow spicules of the coenenchyma are 

 warty spindles, while some npproach a club-shaped form. They 

 have the following measurements, length l)y breadth, in millims. : — 



(«) Spindles with warts in whorls: 0-18 x 0-04; (>16x0-05; 

 0-18xO-U5; 0-2 X 0-04. 



(li) Spindles with irregularly-placed warts: 0'16x0-06; O'lB 

 xO-05; O-lBxO-OG. 



(c) Small irregularly-warted spindles : 0-08xU-04; O-ixO-04; 

 0-09 X 0-045. 



Locality. Cape Verde Islands. 



LopHOGORGiA CRISTA Mobius. (Plate XXIX. figs. 5-7.) 



Two plume-like brownish-red colonies resemble Lophogorgia 

 crista Mobius in the following features : — (1) the general habit of 

 the colony ; (2) the flattening of the largei- branches in the ])lane 

 of ramification; (3) the nature and thickness of the coBuenchyma ; 

 (4) the hint of stria tion s ; and (5) the spicnlation near the base. 



The two colonies measure 34 and 35 centims. in length, 6 and 

 10 centims,. in breadth ; the basal (broken) ends 7 and 6 mm. in 

 one diameter and 3-25 and 3-4 mm. in the other. 



The spicules from the lower end of the colony ai-e warty 

 spindles, with the warts in 2-4 whorls. They are beautifully 

 coloured, with the spindle-core red and the projecting warts 

 of a pale translucent yellow. The following measurements were 

 taken (in millims.) : — 



{a) Of spindles with two whorls of waits : 0-09 x 0-05 ; 0-1 x 

 0-06. 



{h) Of spindles with three whorls of warts: 0-09x0-05; 

 0-1x0-06. 



(c) Of spindles with four whorls of warts: 0-1x0-04; 0-12 x 

 0-06. 



Spicules taken from the tips of the bi'anches are slightly 

 different from those at the base. Many of them are longer, 

 more slender spindles with up to 10 whorls of warts. The 

 following measurements were taken of length and breadth in 

 millims. :— 0-18x0-04 ; 0-19x0-04; 0-16x0-06; 0-13x0-06. 

 The majority are colouied like those at the base, but theie 

 are also some wholly yellow foims with warts either regularly or 

 irregularly disposed. 



