328 Proceedings of the Rot/al Irish Academy. 



XXI. — Scirpearia flagellum emend. Figs. 49-60. 



1863. Juncella Jlagdlum Joliuson, xviii., p. 505. 



1864. „ „ „ xix., p. 142. 

 1870. Viminella „ Gray, xii., p. 29. 

 1881. Scirpearia „ Studer, xxx\a., p. 558. 

 1891. „ ochracca Studer, xxxvi., p. 559. 



1901. „ flagellum Studer, xxxviii., p. 53, PI. ix., figs. 1-3; PI. xi., 



figs. 10 and 11. 

 1901. „ ochracca Studer, xxxviii., p. 53, PI. ix., figs. 4-6. 

 1909. „ flagellum Thomson and Eussell, xliii., p. 1G8, PI. 8, 



fig. 2. 



Tliis is a very old species, and was originally referred to the genus Juncella. 

 In 1870 CJray a.ssigncd it to his new genus Viniinella; but with no apparent 

 reason, and without giving any f\irther specific content. He, however, gives 

 as a synonym, J. ciians Verrill ; but as this was based on purely external 

 characters, it is extremely doubtful whether much stress can be laid on tlie 

 identity with the latter sjxjcies. Wo have for tliis reason excluded it from 

 the list of synonyms. In 1901 Studer rehabilitated the species, and gave a 

 description of the spicules and, also, very good figures of the colonies. He 

 referred the species to the genus Scirpearia. He, however, established 

 anotjjer species — namely, ttcliracen, which cannot now be regarded as distinct 

 from that under consideration, and which we therefore give as a synonym. 



With i-egard to Juucdla flagellum, Joimson, in establishing the species, 

 says : — 



" 1 have ventured to assign this coral to the genus Juncella. Valenciennes, 

 a naturalist for whom I entertain the highest respect, considers it to be 

 the Scirpenria viirabilis of Cuvier. There is, however, so mucli doubt as to 

 what the coral so named by the illustrious Frenchman really is, that I 

 hesitate to ascribe mine to that species — the more especially as it clearly 

 falls within the tlcfinition of the genus Juncella' (as it appears in the 

 " Histoire Naturelle des Coraillaires " of Milne-Edwards, vol. 1., p. 186), 

 forming a member of the section of Gorgonellaceae, which is made up of 

 Gorgoniad corals, having a smooth bark and a sub-lithoid axis, containing so 

 much carlK)nate of lime as to effervesce in muriatic acid. From Juncdla 

 juncea Esper and J. rimen Val. (species found at the Island of Bourbon) it 



' The introduction of the study of apirules has, horever, remorcd it from the genus Juncella, 

 from the fact that it contains no club-shaped spicules. 



