158 Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
the species should be named Alcyonium sarcophytoides or Sarcophytum 
alcyonoides, whether it should be regarded as a progressive Alcyonium or a 
degenerate Sarcophytum. The occurrence of " Zwirnrollen " in abundance 
in the basal part and of a few in the zooid-bearing portion, a form of 
spicule which does not occur in the genus Sarcophytum, appears to be 
against the supposition that this species is atavistic, and rather seems to 
point towards this form as being a progressive Alcyonium. 
Burchardt's specimen was collected off Thursday Island. 
Locality, etc. — "Pieter Faure," No. 12186. Durnford Point, N. 12 miles. 
Depth, 34 fathoms. Collected by dredge. Nature of bottom, broken shells. 
Date of collection, February 28, 1901. 
Alcyonium (Erythropodium) reptans, Kiik. 
The specimen is very small and incomplete. The spicules and other 
features resemble Kiikenthal's new species, but I am rather doubtful about 
this identification : his specimens were also collected at a much greater 
depth. 
"Pieter Faure," No. 12070. O'Neil Peak, N.W. I W. 9| miles. 
Depth, 90 fathoms. Collected by dredge. Nature of bottom, broken shells. 
Date, February 28, 1901. 
Alcyonium (Ertthropodium) foliatum, sp. n. 
The membranous, fairly thin base of the colony is growing over a sponge. 
The small polyps arise singly or are aggregated into masses. The calyces 
are low, and the anthocodiae retractile. The free polyps are sometimes 
almost in contact ; at other times separated by a slight interval. The 
aggregated polyps are usually at about equal distances from one another. 
The basal part and calyces are white, the anthocodiae brown. When the 
anthocodiae are retracted, the calyces present an 8-rayed appearance. The 
diameter of the largest calyces is sometimes 2 mm. and the height -\ mm. 
The surface of the specimen, including the calyces, is densely covered with 
white spicules closely in contact with one another. 
The size of the aggregated masses of polyps varies very considerably. 
One of the largest was 5 mm, in height and 4 mm. in diameter, and with 
about 36 polyps. Some of the larger polyps are 1"8 mm. in length and 
1'5 mm. in diameter. 
The spicules of the anthocodiae usually differ in form from those of the 
coenenchyme and calyces ; they are disposed in 8 longitudinal stripes and a 
collarette at the base. In the collarette the spicules are about 6 in number 
at any one place, counting in a vertical direction. Spicules in the form 
of narrow spindles extend into the bases of the tentacles. 
A vertical section through the aggregated masses of polyps shows that 
