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

ALCYONAEIA. 581spicules in the cortex, and the branches arising from the soft joints.It has no special connexion with Dr. Gray's group Ellisclladce, inwhich he placed it, and appears to have been overlooked by recentwriters. It is distinguished by the very massive form of the Blattkeulespicules and the swelling out of their " Blatt " into roundedbodies with scarcely perceptible edges.7. Wrightella chrysanthus.Wrightella chrysanthos, Gray, op. cit. p. 32.Both this and the following are small species, not known to exceed4 inches in height, and they are proportionally slender ; theydo not exhibit the lateral impression on the branches described byDr. Gray. They are nearly allied to each other, and Mopsea eri/thrceaof Ehrenberg {I. c), from the lied Sea, must be referred to the samegenus. A well-preserved spirit-specimen, 61 millim. (2^ inches)long, and some fragments represent IF. clirysanthus in this collection ;they are of the normal white colour with lemon-yellow zooids.A variety occurs in the British Museum in which the cortex also isyellow.Hah. Seychelles Islands, 4-12 fms.Gray, op, cit. p. 32.8. Wrightella coccinea.This species is distinguished from the former by its colour and bythe cortical spicules being somewhat smaller than in that species.Some fragmentary (but spirit) specimens occur here. Gray hasomitted to mention a fact which these and the original specimensshow, that the verrucae are usually yellow.Hah. Seychelles Islands, 4-12 fms.Both species were originally described from this locality, wherethey were collected by Prof. E. P. Wright. I am glad to have thisopportunity of pointing out the true affinities of these two beautifullittle species, which in their slender proportions probably approachthe beautiful Psilacaharia of the Australian collection more nearlythan any other described species.