346 COLLECTIONS FEOM MELANBSrA. 



packed over the cortex. In our specimen, which is about 46 inches 

 (1150 mUHni.) long by 6 millini. thick at the present (broken) base, 

 and 3| miUim. thick at tip, the basal end is almost smooth, the ver- 

 rucae being either level with the surface or depressed below it; 

 towards the middle of the length they gradually become projecting, 

 until they reach a height of about 1-25 millim. ; they are then 

 appressed against the surface of the cortex. A distinct median 

 groove is to be traced along most of the stem. Studer has already 

 recorded it from Australia (north and north-west), 45-50 fms. 

 Hah. Port Denison, Queensland, 4 fms. 



19. Juncella gemmacea.. 



Verrucella gemmacea, M.-Edwards 8f Haime, Hist. Cor. p. 185, 



pi. B 2. fig. 7. 

 Juncella gemmacea, KolUker, Icon. Histiol. p. 141, woodcut 19, fig. 1 . 

 ? Juncella flexilis, Studer, MB. Ak. Berlin, 1878, p. 659. 



The spicules of this species appear to be hardly distinguishable 

 from those of J. juncea, Pallas, judging by a comparison of those 

 obtained from the present Australian specimen with those figured 

 by KoUiker (I. c). The present collection contains (partly dry, 

 partly in spirit) five specimens, besides fragments ; they exhibit 

 precisely the range of variation in colour which is described by 

 Studer (MB. Ak. Berlin, 1878, p. 659) in his specimens from 80 

 fms. off North-west Australia. They are mostly flexible and some- 

 what slender as compared with M.-Edwards and Haime's figure, 

 for the maximum diameter of the stem in most is not more than 

 (including the verrucae) 2-5 millim., only in one case attaining 

 3 millim. 



Hah. Percy Island, 0-5 fms.; Port MoUe, 12-20 fins, and 

 between tide-marks ; Port Denison, 4 fms. ; Fitzroy Island, 11 fms. 

 (all in Queensland). 



Ohs. The absence of this wide-ranging species from the Torres 

 Straits captures seems to be accidental. Studer's species, /. jlexilis, 

 seems hardly distinct from it. 



20. JunceUa elongata, var. 



Gorgonia elongata, Pallas, Blench. Zooph. p. 179. 

 Juncella elongata, EoUiker, Icon. Histiol. p. 138. 



A spirit-specimen measuring 125 miUim. (5 inches) in height and 

 90 millim. (3| inches) in extreme present diameter ; it differs from 

 the typical form of this species mainly in its slender habit, indistinct 

 indication of posterior bare space and depressed line, and pale 

 pinkish-yellow colour. The spicules agree perfectly with those of 

 the species. The branching is dichotomous. The largest perfect 

 terminal branch measures 63 millim. in length ; some other very 

 short ones appear to have been broken during life, the cortex 



