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

ALCYONARIA. 347having covered the ends again ; the same thing, curiously enough,appears to have occurred with tlie hasc itself, so that the specimenmust have been living unattached at the time of capture. The stemand branches are slightl}^ flattened from front to back, and tliegreatest diameter of the proximal end of the base is 3 millim., ofthe tips of the branches 1 to 1-25 millim. The verruca; are veryprominent (about -G millim, long), and appressed against the branchitself at ends of branches, less prominent towards the base. Thestem and branches are but slightly flexible, and could not be bent atan angle of more than 45° without risk of breakage.Hah. N.E. coast of Australia (exact locality unfortunately lost).Ohs. If the spicular characters of this genus are to be considered,as seems almost necessary, as often (from their very slight tendencyto variation) insufficient to distinguish species, this form might beseparated from the species to which I have doubtfully assigned it onthe score of the external points of difference which I have indicated.These may, however, be considered insufficient for this jiurpose, aconclusion wliich has in its favour the consideration that this is evidentlya young and somewhat imperfect specimen, and, having beenkept in spirit, may have lost much of its original colour. Thespecies has hitherto been recorded only from the West Indies andMediterranean. Tliat this is not an impossible case for an Alcyonarianappears from the analogous instance of the (nearly allied)CtenocdJa pectuiata^ Pallas, which I record from Cuba in this <strong>Report</strong>,its only other recorded habitat being the Indo-Pacific area. Indeedthis identification receives further confirmation from the presencein the Museum of a sjieciraen labelled as from Formosa, whichdiff'ers from the typical J. elongata only in the less distinct and moreappressed character of its verrucae, a point which may be largely dueto some peculiarity in the manner in which the specimen has beendried.In some points (as the colour and ])rominence of the verrucse) ourAustralian species approaches J. (/emmacea ; but I have identifiedwitli that species a form wliich is in this district more deeply colouredand has a very flexible stem.21. Juncella fragilis. (Plate XXXVI. fig. D.)Stem long (unbranchcd ?), diminishing very slowly in diametertowards apex, which may be either clavate or sharp-pointed ; flexible,easily broken ;diameter at base about 5 millim., at apex 3 to 4millim,, except when the apex consists of a sharp point. Cortexthick, cream-white in dried state, soft, but not very friable ; notrace of lateral naked line in the upper three fourths of length.Verruca) small, viz. about I millim. high, clavate, closely appressedagainst cortex ;crowded over all parts of the latter. Axis veryslender, viz, about 1 millim, in diameter near base and hair-like atapex ; near base hard, pale olive-brown, and beset with regularlongitudinal stria).