326 Proceedings of the Rn/jal Irish Academy. 



It is very doubtful if the long list of synonyms given here were in all 

 cases coi-reetly identified ; but in the absence of the specimens themselves, it 

 is better to retain tliem until definite information on this point is forth- 

 coming. 



While examining the Alcyonaria in the Museum of the Eoyal College of 

 Surgeons, London, I came across a beautiful specimen labelled ' Gm-(jonia 

 dowjata (Eeg. No. 184), belonging to the Hunterian Collection, of which the 

 following description occurred in the catalogue: — " It consists of a short, broad 

 stem, from which seven main branches arise ; these, after proceeding about 

 6-7 inches, give off a brancli wliich proceeds upwards nearly parallel with the 

 main stem, and about equal to it in thickness. The crust is of a vermilion 

 colour ; and the polyp-cells are very numerous and arranged in alternate 

 rows, especially towards the free extremities of the branches, which are 

 all more or less flattened. The axis is of a light yellow colour, and of a 

 small size in comparison with the crust." 



Habitat. — West Indies. 



As this is tlie oldest authentic specimen bearing the specific name elongata, 

 I have considered it advisable to resuscitate this old species, give it some 

 positive content, and regard this specimen as the type. For this purpose, 

 Dr. Bunie has supplied me with a beautifnl photograph of the colony 

 and also a sketch dmwn with a "camera lucida," on which fig. 46 is 

 based. Preparations of the spicules have also been made for the first 

 time, and fig. 48 gives the chief types which occur. 



In the collection of Gorgonellids in the British Museum, there is a very 

 delicately branched colony wliich Gray referred to the species Ellisdia 

 rofcJHw, establi.shed by him in 1857, with the following diagnosis : — "Coral 

 furcately branched ; brandies sub-cylindrical, very long, virgate ; bright 

 scarlet." The spicules of this specimen are identical both in types and 

 measurements with those of the specimen in the Hunterian Collection 

 (figs. 47 and 48), and an examination of the general habit of the two colo- 

 nies will at once render it obvious that they cannot l^e regarded as distinct. 

 Both the specimens are from the " West Indies." 



The t}'pe specimen (fig, 46) is almost 1 metre in height, and is complete. 

 There is a large spreading basis of attachment from which a very tliick stem 

 about 12 mm. in breadth arises. The branching commences almost at the 

 very base. One of the primary branches is 41 mm. in diameter ; but the 

 secondary branches, at a considerable distance from this, have a breadth of 

 4 mm. ; about the middle of the colony the smaller elongated branches are 

 3"5 mm. in diameter, and at 8 cm. from the tip they are 2 mm. in ibamoter. 

 There is considerable anastomosis in the lower part. 



