34 
The largest colony consists of a slightly thickened, almost membranous base with a 
maximum diameter of 1.9 cm. spreading over a jagged piece of madrepore coral. From this 
basal stock eight main polyp-bearing stems arise. Three of these are finger-like, unbranched ; 
one divides near the base into two branches; and the others give off one to at most three, 
very short lobe-like branches. All are extremely flaccid and rather flattened, and are covered 
over their whole surface with the numerous non-retractile polyps. The longest branch has a height 
of 5.1 cm., with a maximum basal diameter of 1.2 cm. when flattened, and gives off on alternate 
sides three stumpy branches 7 mm. long. In another of the longer branches, 4 cm. long and 
covered on all sides with polyps, a curious secondary attaching disc is developed on one side 
at a point 2.8 mm. from the base of the stem. Here a membranous extension has been developed 
covering the surface of a small stone, 11 X 7 mm. in size. In this region on the upper side 
are given off two short opposite branches each about 5 mm. long. Similar secondary attaching 
discs developing on a branch are seen in both the other colonies, one firmly attached to the 
uneven lump of coral, rock and sponge on which the colony is growing. 
The non-retractile polyps have an average length of 2 mm. and breadth of about 1 mm. 
A few were observed with a length of 3 mm. The tentacles are about 2 mm. long and bear a 
single row of short lobe-like and rounded pinnules. 
The whole of the surface of branches and polyps (including the tentacles) is thickly dusted 
over with innumerable extremely minute rounded spicules. These when examined with a high 
magnification are seen to be minute finely sculptured scales about 0.01 mm. in diameter, rounded, 
generally with a rather uneven outline, some oblong in shape, others with a slight constriction 
at some point. But none were seen of the hour-glass or the quadruplet type figured by Brundin 
for C. mollis. An optical suggestion of “twins” or hour-glass types is occasionally produced by 
two discs in contact or overlapping. Furthermore the spicules of C. mollis are very sparse, while 
our specimens are very thickly covered with these minute sclerites. The branching is also markedly 
different from that of C. mollis. The colour in spirit is an olive brown. 
Family Alcyoniidae. 
Genus Nidalia. 
1. Nidalia dofieini Kiikenthal. (Plate V, Fig. 5; Plate XXV, Fig. 5). 
For description see: KuiCENTHAL, Japanische Alcyonaceen. Abhandl. K. Bayer Akad. Wiss. 
Supplement, Bd. I, 1906, p. 27, 2 figs. 
Stat. 49a. 8°23 / .5 S., ii9°4 / .6E. 69 M. Coral and shells. 19 Ex. 
Several specimens of this upright firmly-built colony, the best standing 4.7 cm. in height, 
with a maximum diameter of 1 cm. The colour varies from pale creamy-yellow to pinkish red, 
with the base generally pink. 
The distinctive features of the species are 
(1) the short sterile basal portion; 
(2) the longitudinal grooves; 
