342 COLLECTIONS FKOM MELANESIA. 



interval of 145 millini., in planes which are at right angles with 

 one another. The hard axis is tough and flexible ; its colour is 

 that of whalebone at the basal end, where it is 1-5 mUlim. in dia- 

 meter ; it is about "6 millim. thick at the apex of the stouter branch. 

 The cortex is firm, roughened by the slight projection of the verrucse, 

 which usually form three alternating rows on each side of a slight 

 median bare space. The verrucse, which are open, are oval eleva- 

 tions, just sufllciently raised to render the surface of the cortex 

 uneven ; their long axis follows that of the stem or branch, and is 

 about -6 mDlim. long ; they are not swollen wart-like, but rather 

 resemble the reverse side of holes made in paper by thrusts with a 

 sharp point, whereby a thin rim of broken paper is made to extrude 

 at the opposite side to that from which the hole is made. Between 

 the verrucse the cortex is smooth or even glabrous. Colour dull 

 crimson. Cortical spicules fusiform, with two main whorls, dis- 

 tinct from each other, of distinct, low, rough tubercles ; a few 

 larger ones have two smaller subterminal whorls, distinct from 

 the median ones, of. similar character, and beyond them the apex 

 is formed by a pointed or irregular, more or less tuberculate end ; 

 but in most cases the outer pair of whorls practically terminate 

 the spicule ; size '087 to -lOS by "OSS millim. ; colour deep crimson. 



Hob. Port Denison, Queensland, 4 fms. ; bottom rock. 



Obs. The only points in which I find this species to differ from ■ 

 VerrUl's description are the slightly inferior diameter of the spicules, 

 -the absence of longitudinal grooves to the stem &c., the crimson- 

 red colour, the branching not being confined to one plane. 



If this species should prove to be identical with VerriU's it will 

 be a remarkable case of distribution, as the latter was obtained 

 from the Bay of Panama ; but . it must be remembered that the 

 specimen is single and imperfect. 



16. Leptogorgia australiensis. (Plate XXXVI. figs. C, C, c, c'.) 



CoraUum flabelliform, branching in one plane. A small number 

 (two or three) of main branches are given off by the short 

 common stem, and are pinnate at short intervals with long simple 

 pinnse or branchlets, generally alternate, diminishing in length 

 towards the ends of the branches ; a few pinnae may be themselves 

 pinnate. Base thin, small. Main stem cylindrical. The main 

 branches are almost straight, the pinnae curve upwards ; both 

 branches and pinnae are much flattened out laterally, tapering to 

 slender, slightly hastate apices. Main stem in large adult specimens 

 about 6 millim. in diameter, main branches 5 millim. at base ; pinnae 

 ranging in size from 15 oentim. in length by 2J millim. in greatest 

 diameter to 6 ceutim. by 1 millim., in exceptional cases 20 centim. 

 (8 inches) long. Surface almost smooth, but for the polype-ceUs 

 and some grooves and raised lines. The main stem is marked by 

 a few shallow longitudinal furrows ; the branches are provided on 

 both the anterior and posterior faces with a more or less distinct 

 furrow, slightly undulating (sometimes very tortuous, much inter- 



