Simpson — A Revisinn of Hip. GorgnneUidae. 2o5 



Ellisella. — Coral siinplo or furcately branched ; Ijraiichcs subcyliudriual, 

 with a more or less distinct lateral groove, especially at the base. Axis 

 continuous, opaque, solid, calcareous, hard at the base and softer above. Bark 

 when dry, granular, thin, with numerous series of sunken or slightly 

 prominent polypiferous cells on each edge of the stem and branches. 



(1) E.jmicca, coral simple, sub-compressed beneath; Juncella Val. 



(2) E. elongata, coral furcately branched, branches sub-cylindrical. 



(3) E. coccinea, furcately branched, branches sub-cylindrical, very long, 

 virgate. 



(4) E. i^ectinata, coral branched fan-like, branches with a series of virgate 

 branches on the upper side only. (Cteuocella.) 



He also revived the genus Scirpearia in the following terms :— Coral slender 

 (simple or sub-simple), rod-like. Axis slender, cylindrical, hair-like, solid, 

 white, calcareous, attached by a broad Ijase. Bark (when dry) thin, suKJOth, 

 granular, with a series of sub-cylindrical polypiferous cells placed alternately 

 on each side of the stem. 



S. mirahilis. — Two years later (P. Z. S., 1859, pp. 479-486) he established 

 the family Elliselladae, and gave the following diagnosis : — " The axis solid, 

 calcareous, not jointed. Bark granular, cells on the sides of the stem and 

 branches separated by a lateral groove." («) Cell more or less elongate. 



(1) Ellisella. 



Coral tree-like, sub-cylindrical ; branches free ; cells numerous, snuill, 

 crowded. E. j'uncea, E. elongata, E. coccinea, E. pectinafa. 



(2) SCIEPEAKIA. 



Coral simple or forked ; cells sub-cylindrical in two alternate series. 



S. mirabilis, coral simple. 



S. dichofoma, coral branched, forked. 



From this resume it will be seen that, up to this time, identification was 

 based on external characters alone ; but in 1864 a great advance was made 

 when Kolliker investigated the spicules, and defined Juncella as having 

 " clubs, double-clubs, and double-stars. The spicules of the polyps are 

 small spindles." He recognized the following three species : — 



(<() With clubs : J^mcella j'uncea, J. gemmacea. 

 (h) Without clubs : J. elongata. 



Gray, however, seems to have been unacquainted with Kiilliker's contri- 

 bution, for in 1870 (Cat. Lith., 1>. M.), he, without taking into account the 

 nature of the spicnlatioii, o\'erturned his previous classilicatioii ; and in tho 



K.I.A. PKOC, vol.. XWlll., SKCX. B, l_2 AI j 



