ALCTONAEIA. 835 



leaves are inserted. Total length 26 millim., length of leaf-bearing 

 portion 12 millim., greatest diameter 8 millim. Bleeker's speci- 

 mens were collected at Java. 



Hub. Arafuia Sea off N.W. coast of Australia, 32-36. fms. 



8. Virgularia, sp. 



A specimen in a very imperfect condition, but evidently repre- 

 senting a delicate species with large, partially separate zooids, 

 whose centre is oeoupiM by a broad dark-purple band, the proximal 

 and distal ends being pale yellowish (in spirit). The leaves have a 

 very oblique direction on the stem, and- leave bare a wide dorsal 

 area : they are subalternate and just overlap each other in front. 



The axis is only about -9 millim. in diameter. 



Hah. Arafura Sea, N.W. coast of Australia, 32-36 fms. 



GORGONIID^. 



Pbiiinoace.|). 



9. Mxiricella tenera. (Plate XXXVI. figs. E, E', e, e'.) 



Corallum erect, branAing approximately in a plane ; after one or 

 two, or without any, dichotomous divisions the branching becomes 

 pinnate, the pinnae approximately alternate, the ultimate pinnae vary- 

 ing from 15 to 45 millim. in length. Stem and branches somewhat 

 flattened from front to back, the stem about 1'5 millim., the tips of 

 the branches about 1 millim. thick in the broadest jjlace (excluding 

 verrucBB). Cortex thin, paper-like, level but slightly rough, owing 

 to the large size of the spicules which lie in it, side by side, without 

 projecting : colour in dry state white, in spirit semitransparent, 

 appearing dirty white, owing to the axis, which is black, being 

 partially seen through it. Verrucse in two lateral series, alternate, 

 and alternately directed more or less towards the front and the 

 back (this latter character most strongly marked towards the ends 

 of the branches). In the closed state the verrucse are conical, pro- 

 minent (about 1 millim. high); in the expanded state the cone is 

 truncate and not so high. Colour of polypes in dry state a pale 

 brown. Cortical spicules fusiform, generally slightly curved, taper- 

 ing gradually from centre to moderately sharp ends, covered with 

 mostly distinct, but closely-set, prominent, cylindrical tubercles, the 

 ends of which are blunt (occasionally rather pointed) and strongly 

 roughened ; average size about 1 millim. by -177 millim. Verruca- 

 spicules of same characters, but either about 1*5 millim. long by 

 •28 miUim., or '9 by '14 millim. Spicules of polype itself with 

 smaller tubercles, but of same general characters ; size about '35 

 by -07 millim. 



Hah. Port MoUe, Queensland, 14-20 fms. ; bottom rock or coral. 



