300 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Bistnhution of J. gemmacea. 



Eed Sea. 



Providence Island. 



Mascarene Island, 19 fms. 



Mermaid Straits. 



Queensland, X.-E. Australia : Percy Island, 0-5 fms. ; Port MoUe, 

 12-20 fms. and between tide-marks ; Port Denison, 4 fius. ; Fitzroy 

 Island, 11 fms. 



Amirante Island, 32 fms. 



Malacca. 



Singapore. 



King Island Bay, and elsewhere in the Mergui Archipelago, between tide- 

 marks and up to 30 fms. 



Torres Straits, 8 fms. 



Gulf of Manaar. 



Torres Straits (as EUisdla maculata pars.). 



XII. — Juncella racemosa. Figs. 20-23. 



J. racemosa Wright and Studer, 1, p. 159, PI. xxxiv, fig. 11. 



J. vwiiacea Thomson and Henderson, xl, p. 81, PI. v, tigs. 7 and 12. 



J. racfinosa Thomson and Simpson, xli, p. 268. 



Tliis species was established by Wriglit and Studer for several small, 

 dehcate, branched specimens in the "Challenger "Collection, with tlie following 

 features : — The branches arise all in one plane ; in one specimen all the 

 branches, to the very summit, are given off from the right side of the main 

 stem, which is curved. Several of these are short and simple, while others 

 are again branclied. All the branchlets are given oH' from one side of the 

 branch, and, when branclied to a thiid degree, the same fact holds true. The 

 polyps are uiunerous ; and on the stem and branches they show an eight- 

 rayed star; on further contraction, they appear as small papillae ; when fully 

 contracted, they are 1 mm. in heiglit and Oo mm. in diameter. On one 

 surface of the stem and branches polyps are absent; and on this naked 

 portion a feebly marked groove winds up the stem. The polyps are much 

 more numerous and crowded on the smaller branches, where they are placed 

 in three or four rows. The colour- of the coeneuchyma and polyps varies 

 from reddish yellow to dark red. The bases of the polyps and tentacles are 

 of a much lighter hue. The coenenchyma is thin, and hsis the characteristic 

 spicules of Juncella. 



The figure of the spicules given in the " Challenger " Report (PI. xxxiv., 

 fig. 11) does not, however, give a good appreciation of their- form ; and this led 



