160 
Transactions of the Boyal Society of South Africa. 
Depth, 10-12 fathoms. Collected by shrimp trawl. Date of collection, 
August 1, 1898. 
" Pieter Faure " No. 291a. Cape St. Blaize, S. 70° W. 2^ miles. Depth, 
12 fathoms. Collected by fish trawl. Date, August 2, 1898. 
" Pieter Faure," No. 724. Lat. 33° 52' 30" S., long. 25'^ 50' 33" E. 
Depth, 25 fathoms. Collected by shrimp trawl. Nature of bottom, fine 
sand. Date, December 8, 1898. 
Alcyonium (Erythropodium) Wilsoni, sp. n. 
The specimen consists of broad band-like portions growing over a shell 
of the brachiopod Kratissina rubra, from which there rise at frequent intervals 
aggregations of polyps. These aggregations of polyps frequently have a 
superficial resemblance to small sea-anemones. Each aggregation usually 
consists of a basal column-like part, at the apex of which are the polyps. 
The polyp-cavities extend downwards through the column-like part. The 
polyp-cavities in the latter part are separated by fairly thick partition walls 
with spicules. The polyps are retractile, and in the retracted condition have 
the appearance of a central pit, around which are eight areas of spicules. 
The column-like part has a fairly compact consistency, and is covered 
with white spicules. Numerous spicules of a similar colour protrude from 
the surface of the stolon. The spicules of the polyps cover the surface near 
the base and for some distance above, but nearer the apex they form a crown 
which is differentiated into eight areas. The bands of the stolons are some- 
times 4 mm. in width and ^ mm. in thickness. 
The aggregations of polyps vary very much in size, and in the numbers of 
polyps so aggregated together. In some such aggregations there may be 5 
or 6, in others there may be 50 or 60. One of the largest of such aggregations 
is 9 mm. in length, 4 mm. in diameter and 3 mm. in height. In such polyp 
aggregations the polyps are close together with little space between them. 
The polyps are about 1*5 mm. in height and 1 mm. in diameter. The polyp 
cavities are continued down into wide canals, between which there is a fairly 
thick coenenchyme with many spicules and a few fine capillary tubes between 
the large cavities. Transverse sections remind one of the condition occur- 
ring in Alcyonium. The anthocodiae are short and there is little differentia- 
tion into parts ; the only parts being a short basal part, the surface of which 
is covered with spicules, and a head on which the spicules are arranged in 
eight converging areas. 
The spicules of the stolons are mainly spindles and clubs with broad 
processes, but there are other more irregular spicules, some quadrifid. The 
spicules from the outside of the short column-like parts, from which the 
aggregations of polyps arise, are on the whole similar to those of the stolon. 
The spicules on the outside of the polyp and from the coenenchyme are 
fairly similar. 
