ALCYONARIA — J. A. THOMSON AND DORIS L. MACKINNON. 673 



In the lower part of the stem the calcareous and horny joints 

 Lave approximately equal lengths of about 2-5 mm. ; but higher 

 up the internodes greatly predominate, 3-4 mm., while the nodes 

 are reduced to mere constrictions, -5 mm. in length. The inter- 

 nodes are white, and bear somewhat distant longitudinal grooves. 



On the 3'ounger colonies and smaller branches the arrangement 

 of the polyps is bilateral, but on the larger branches they may 

 occur all round. In one specimen where they were less obscured 

 by sponge-growth than elsewhere, the polyps had a height of '75 

 mm. with a diameter of 1 mm. ; they projected from the branch 

 as low, rounded warts. 



The spicules are exactly like those described by Wright and 

 Studer — i.e., massive warty spindles, some almost as bioad as 

 long, and approaching spheres. The warts are high and prom- 

 inent and finely sculptured. The following measurements ' were 

 taken of length and breadth in millimetres. — '261 x "17 ; "25 x 

 •1; -2 X -16; -17 x-1. 



This species is distinguished from Parisis fruticosa, Verrill — (1) 

 by the branches coming off at angles of 45° -60°, instead of at 

 approximately right angles ; (2) by the polyps occurring all 

 round the branches instead of being strictly bilateral ; (3) by 

 the smaller size, and greater slenderness of the spicules. 



Locality. — South Coast, New South Wales. 



Previously recorded from Station 163 B, off Port Jackson, 

 35 fathoms. 



Order IV. AXIFERA, G. von Koch, 

 Family 181 DAE. 



Genus M P S E A, Lamouroux. 



MOPSEA DICHOTOMA, Linne. 



(Plate Ixvii. fig. 1.) 



Morpsea dichotoma, Wriglit and Studer, Chall. Rep., Zool., xxxi., 

 1889, pp. 41-42, ph ix., fig. 10. 



Stations 48, 47. 53. 



The largest specimen is an almost complete lyre-shaped colony, 

 rising from a slightly encrusting calcareous base to a height of 

 22-5 cm. The main stem, 3 mm. in diameter near the base, 

 divides to form two equal branchf s at a height cf 2'5 cm. These 

 two main branches give rise along one side to a number of 



