AICTONAKIA. 337 



liroad ; the rim is beset with scattered spine-like spicula with 

 branched bases, about two deep; the points project directly up- 

 wards in the expanded state. 



Spicules of general cortex : — (i.) Conical, with rounded broad end 

 tapering to moderately sharp smaller end, the whole thickly covered 

 with very coarse blunt tubercles; size -32 to -35 by "123 to -177 

 mUlim. (ii.) Conical to fusiform, with prominent proliferating 

 tubercles ; size about -38 by •! to '14 miUim. (iii.) Tri- to quadri- 

 radiate, the arms stout or slender, pointed, covered with rough 

 tubercles like those of (ii.) ; about '53 millim. in maximum length and 

 •07 to '14 millim. in maximum diameter of the arms, (iv.) Verruca- 

 spicules with expanded ramifying basal portion, whose branches 

 are lobose and marginally denticulate and bear low scattered spines ; 

 the upright projecting portion or spine which helps to form the 

 fringe on the rim of the verruose is smooth, approximately- straight, 

 and tapers from its base to a sharp point ; total length of spicule 

 •035 to -QS miUim., total breadth '177 to ^46 millim. ; projecting 

 spine alone •25 to ^37 by '053 to ^087 millim. (basal diameter). 

 Also less developed forms of the same type as (iv.). The zooids 

 themselves contain long curved fusiform spicules with smooth ends. 



Ilab. Port Curtis, Queensland, 5-11 fms., bottom sand and shells; 

 Port MoUe, Queensland, 12-20 fms., bottom rock and coral ; 

 Warrior Eeef, Torres Straits, bottom pearl-sheUs. 



Obs. This species is perhaps more nearly allied to E. ailantica alid 

 E. grayi than to E. eoecinea, Stimpson, from which it differs in the 

 non-tubei'culation of the spine of the large verruca-spicule. VerrUl's 

 specimens were unbranched, but this may have been due to yotith. 

 The long-spined marginal spicule of the verruca of Aca/nthogorgia 

 atlantica is exactly like that of this species ; but that species differs 

 from the present in having the verrucse less distinctly marked out 

 by a spieular crown and by the dark brown colour. The new 

 species is represented in the present collection by three dry speci- 

 mens and one in spirit ; the largest measures 230 millim. (9 inches) 

 in maximum height, and 130 millim. (5 inches) in maximum breadth. 

 Specimens occur in the British Museum from Hongkong (coU. 

 Br. Harlan). 



ECHINOGORGIA, KoUiker. 



In the following descriptions I have not thought it necessary to 

 describe the spicules of the verrucse in all cases, as they appear to 

 exhibit the same main characters throughout these species of Eckino- 

 gorgia and Plexaura. 



12. Echinogorgia flabellum. 



Antipathes flabellum, Esper, Pflamenthiere, ii. p. 139, Antipath. 



pi. i. 

 Gorgonia pseudo-antipathes, id. op. cit. Fortsetz. ii. p. 32, pi. liv. 



(neo Gorgonella pseudo-antipathes, KolMker, Icon. Histiol. p. 140, 



pi. xviii. fig. 42). 

 ? Gorgonia cancellata, Dana, Zooph. U. S. Expl. Exp. p. 658. 



z 



