ALCYONARIA WHITELEGGE. 309 



The coenenchyma is thin, smooth, without external grooves, 

 and densely charged with large closely tuberculate spindles. 



The axis consists of a series of long spicules firmly cemented 

 together, its diameter near the base is -9 mm., the terminal twigs 

 1 mm. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma are straight or but little curved 

 spindles, closely beset with either simple or compound tubercles. 

 On and in the neighbourhood of the verrucae they are very 

 irregular in shape, placed transversely and frequently adapted to 

 each other, having one or both ends obliquely truncated, and 

 including such forms as the following : elongate triangles, clubs, 

 boomerangs and short bent spindles. By transmitted light they are 

 of a bright brick red colour. 



The retracted polyps are covered by a series of short, straight, 

 or curved spiny spindles, of a pale pink or white colour ; there are 

 a number of spicules embedded in the tentacles, which have a few 

 blunt spines and acutely -pointed ends. 



The spicules are as follows : 



(1.) Large almost straight tuberculated spindles. Size ! by 

 15, 1- by -25, 1-2 by -35, 2- by -3 mm. 



(2.) Irregular shaped spicules of the verrucae. Size -3 by '15, 

 3 by -1, -4 by -15, -5 by -25, -6 by -25, 1- by -35 mm. 



(3.) Operculate spicules. Size -2 by -02, -25 by '03, -25 by 

 05 mm. 



(4.) Tentacle spicules. Size -1 by -01, -2 by -02 mm. 

 (5.) Spicules from the axis. Size -3 by -02, -5 by -04 mm. 

 The colour is bright coral-red, the polyps are yellowish-white. 

 This species differs from Keroeides koreni in its erect non- 

 pendulous habit and in the characters of its spicules. 



SECTION HOLAXONIA. 

 FAMILY MURICEID^E. 



ACANTHOGORGIA BREVIFLORA, Sp. nov. 



(Plate xvi., figs. 6-10.) 



A small, broken and almost denuded colony, 52 mm. in height. 

 Arising from an enlarged base, the stem at a height of 5 mm. divides, 

 giving off two branches, of which the smaller is 20 mm. in length 

 and bears a simple branchlet, the larger is 47 mm. in length and 

 bears three simple branchlets at equal distances apart, the longest 

 being 20 ram. ; there are indications of four other branchlets, they 

 are, however, broken off quite close to the main branch. The 

 mode of branching is alternate and in one plane, the axis is 



