Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

ALCYONARIA. 335leaves are inserted.Total length 26 millim., length of leaf-bearingportion 12 millim., greatest diameter 8 millim. Bleeker's specimenswere collected at Java.Uab. Arafura Sea off N.W. coast of Australia, 32-36 fms.8. Vir^laria, sp.A specimen in a very imperfect condition, but evidently representinga delicate species with large, partially separate zooids,whose centre is occupied by a broad dark-purple band, the proximaland distal ends being pale yellowish (in spirit). The leaves have avery oblique direction on the stem, and leave bare a wide dorsalarea : they are subalternate and just overlap each other in front.The axis is only about '9 millim. in diameter.Hah. Arafura Sea, N.W. coast of Australia, 32-36 fms.GORGONIID^E.Primnoace^,9. Mnricella tenera. (Plate XXXVI. figs. E, E', e, e'.)Corallum erect, branching approximately in a plane ; after one ortwo, or without any, dichotomous divisions the branching becomespinnate, the pinnae approximately alternate, the ultimate pinnae varyingfrom 15 to 45 millim. in length. Stem and branches somewhatflattened from front to back, the stem about 1*5 millim., the tips ofthe branches about 1 millim. thick in the broadest place (excludingverrucse). Cortex thin, paper-like, level but slightly rough, owiugto the large size of the spicules which lie in it, side by side, withoutprojecting: colour in dry state white, in spirit semitransparent,appearing dirty white, owing to the axis, which is black, beingpartially seen through it. Verrucse in two lateral series, alternate,and alternately directed more or less towards the front and theback (this latter character most strongly marked towards the endsof the branches). In the closed state the verrucse are conical, prominent(about 1 millim. high); in the expanded state the cone istruncate and not so high. Colour of polypes in dry state a palebrown. Cortical spicules fusiform, generally slightly curved, taper--ing gradually from centre to moderately sharp ends, covered withmostly distinct, but closely-set, prominent, cylindrical tubercles, theends of which are blunt (occasionally rather pointed) and stronglyroughened ; average size about 1 millim. by •111 millim. Verrucaspiculesof same characters, but either about 1*5 millim. long by•28 millim. , or '9 by '14 millim. Spicules of polype itself withsmaller tubercles, but of same general characters ; size about -35by -07 millim.Hah. Port MoUo, Queensland, 14-20 fms. ; bottom rock or coral.