79 



'I lu> operculum is represented by a mere trace of small slender spindles and is difficult to see 

 under moderate magnification. 



Spicules. These are mostly regular ctenate discs charasteristic of this genus. Often 

 one edge is much more decidedly toothed than the other; but never with the long, jagged, 

 tooth-like projections characteristic of the genus Thcsea. There are a number of small spindles, 

 and a few stars, crosses, etc.; but these are inconspicuous. 



C o 1 o r. The colony is intense bright crimson, the spicules are also crimson, tending 

 toward a scarlet. 



But one specimen of this very beautiful species was secured. lts beauty consists in its 

 richness of color rather than in its form, which is by no means as graceful and symmetrical 

 as many other muriceids. 



4. Placogorgia dcndritica new species. (Plate XII, figs. 1, ia; Plate XXII, fig. 6). 



Stat. 117. i°o'.5 N., I22°5Ó'E. Kvvandang Bay entrance. 80 meters (chart.). Sand and coral. 

 Stat. 204. 4 20' S., 122° 58' E. near Buton Island. 75 — 94 meters. Sand. 



Colony much broken up, but it was evidently originally a very large one, a portion 

 of the proximal part of the stem being exceedingly thick and woody, measuring 3.5 cm. in 

 diameter. But one of the main branches is preserved, and this arises from the main stem 

 10.2 from its proximal end, and is evidently but a small part of the original colony. Near its 

 base it is 1.1 cm. in diameter, and it is about 20 cm. in leneth. It crives ff a number of 

 compound and simple branches on each side, and is flabellate in shape ; but the branchlets do 

 not anastomose. Both the stem and main branches are tortuous and irregular, giving forth 

 irregular branchlets which are about 7 mm. apart on an average. The calyces are thickly 

 emplanted on all sides of the twigs and branchlets, but are more sparsely scattered over the 

 larger branches. In the former position they are often contiguous and seldom much more than 

 1 mm. apart. The ends of the twigs are swollen with crowded calyces. 



The indiviclual calyces are low rounded verrucse, a typical one measuring about .7 mm. 

 in height and about 1.2 mm. in diameter. Their walls appear quite smooth under an ordinary 

 hand lens; but a higher power reveals the fact that they are covered with small, jagged, foliaceous 

 projections which imbricate closely. These projections are foliaceous expansions from spicules 

 otherwise buried in the walls. The margin is surrounded by a row of such points. The polyps 

 are retractile, but some of them rest with the collaret above the calyx margin. Many of them, 

 however, are completely enclosed and concealed by the calyx. The collaret and operculum are 

 formed in the usual way, but are delicate in structure being mere skeletons of spicules in the 

 ordinary position. 



Spicules. These are all small, and show an extraordinary diversity and irregularity of 

 outline. They are in the form of crosses, stars and multiradiate bodies. Many of them are 

 characterized by delicately branched foliaceous expansions, and projections of exceedingly com- 

 plicated outline. A very few slender, curved spindles are present. 



