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

;580 COLLECTIONS FKOM THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN.apical diameter about "75 millim. ; anterior and posterior facesscarcely distinguishable ; verrucoe subserially arranged down thelateral margins, more sparingly on the anterior and posterior aspects,distance apart 1-1"5 millim. (the latter is the interval characteristicof the anterior and posterior sides of the branches ; this interval alsooccurs occasionally on the sides). Colour, in spirit, deep umberbrown,almost black. Surface between verrucse minutely granular.The spicules have their tubercles closely aggregated, prominent(•04--05 millim. high), broad (about •04-'05 millim.), and very richlyand minutely tuberculate and frequently compound (branching) ; thegeneral outline of the spicule is a rude oval, flattened parallel tothe long axis, with the ends broad, but one end tends to be subglobose,while the other is constricted, forming a kind of handlesize of spicules about 'lO by '14 millim.Hah. Providence Eeef, Mascarene Islands, 24 fms. ; bottom, sandand dead coral.This species is related not distantly to Miiricea wnhraticoides,Studer, from which it differs chiefly in its erect and more slenderhabit, in the shorter and less regularly formed spicules, and in theirlonger and more ragged tubercles.The height of the single specimen (which is preserved in spirit,divides three times, and has a slight spreading base) is 70 millim.(nearly 3 inches). As it is well preserved and apparently normalin growth, I have ventured to give it a distinctive name.M. perramosa, mihi (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1882, x. p. 128*),from Mauritius, the only other nearly allied form described from theAVestern Indian Ocean, is at once distinguished from it by the redcolour and much-branched habit.GORGONELLID^.6. Juncella gemmacea, Milne-Edwards Sf Haime.Several specimens, dry and in spirit, of the deep scarlet form,which was the most abundant in the North- Australian collectionsof the 'Alert.'Hah. Providence Island, Mascarene Islands, 19 fms.MELITH^ID^.Melithseadce and Mopselladte, Gray, Cat. Lithophyt. Brit. Mns.pp. 3-12.WRIGHTELLA.Gray, op. cit. p, 31.Mopsea (part.), Ehrenherg, Cor. roth. Meer. p. 131 ; Klunzinyer, Kor.roth. Meer. p. 57.This genus is closely allied to Mopsella, Gray, having " Blattkeule"* The branches as there described are much too slender ; the figure is,however, correct; tlie primary branches measure 7, the terminal twigs "76millim. in greatest diameter, excluding verruca.