SnrpsoN — A Revision of the Gorgonellidue. 'il'i 



polyps colony. This arrangement is sometimes obscured by the addition of 

 young polyps between the older ones. Towards the apex of the stem the 

 polyps are in three rows, and at the very apex they are opposite. When 

 withdrawn the verrucae are nipple-like. 



The coenenchyma is moderately thick. 



Locality. — "Challenger" Station 177, off tlic New Hebrides; depth, 

 130 fms. ; bottom, volcanic sand. 



8. rubra. — Colony simple (not complete), but 620 mm. in length. The 

 axis is calcareous, brittle, with two shallow grooves. 



The polyps are numerous, arranged in spirals on the stem. Towards the 

 termination of the axis they are disposed in an alternate manner on the 

 opposite sides of the stem. 



The coenenchyma is thin, with a compact layer of spindles and warty 

 clubs. 



The colour in spirits is light red. 



Locality. — " Challenger " Station 232, Hyalonema ground, off Japan ; 

 345 fms. ; bottom, green mud. 



S. moniliformc Thomson and Henderson is also referable to this 

 species. 



Localitij. — Eight miles west of Interview Island, Andamans ; 270-45 fms. 



From the foregoing it is obvious that, except in the question of branching — 

 a character to which very little importance can be attached, since the 

 specimens are nearly all incomplete — the macroscopic structure shows a 

 range of variation, such as we expect to find in long flagellifomi colonies. 

 For this reason it is impossible to consider the question of diflerent species on 

 these characters alone. Preparations of spicules from corresponding parts of 

 the different colonies show no great disparity either in the tj'pes themselves 

 or in the characters and measurements of the types, so that we are forced to 

 rank these different specimens as one variable species having a type of 

 spiculation diffei'ent from others known at present. 



Amongst the numerous undescribed specimens which have been examined 

 in the preparation of this memoir none were found to agree with the 

 " Challenger " forms ; but this fact may not be considered remarkable when 

 we take into consideration the localities from which they were obtained. 



The spicules of tliis species are large and very characteristic (tig. 27 a-ff)- 

 They consist of large warty spindles, some of which show a trace of a 

 constriction. Two forms of these may be recognized — (a) slender and very 

 warty, and {b) more massive spindles. In addition to these, the most definite 

 type is the large double-club ; these have very massive warty ends, and 

 practically no constriction, and some have more hemispherical heads than the 



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