8o 



C o 1 o r. The colony is a very light, yellowish brown (in alcohol). The axis is light brown 

 and the spicules are colorless. 



This must originally have been one of the largest muriceids in the Siboga collection. 

 lts spicules are many of them of the extreme P lacogorgia type and of unusual delicacy 

 and complexity. 



5. P lacogorgia cryptotheca new species. (Plate XII, figs. 3, 3#; Plate XXII, fig. 5). 



Stat. 117. i° o'.5 N., 122 56' E. North Celebes. So meters. Sand and coral. 



Stat. 164. i°42'.s S., I30°47'.5 E. near New Guinea. 32 meters. Sand and stones. 



Stat. 260. 5 36'. 5 S., I32°55'.2E. near Kei Island. 90 meters. Sand, coral and shells. 



Stat. 273. Anchorage off Jedan Island, East coast of Aru Islands. 13 meters. Sand and shells. 



Stat. 274. 5°28'.2S., i34°53'.o,E. near Aru Islands. 57 meters. Sand and stones. 



Colony (incomplete) flabellate, 10 cm. in height. It consists of a single ramified branch 

 giving off two simple branches from its proximal portion, and breaking distally into two portions 

 each of which gives off irregularly disposed branchlets. In one case branchings of the fourth 

 order are attained. The ultimate branchlets are decidedly tumid distally, and the ccenenchyma 

 is thick. The calyces are unevenly distributed on all sides of the branches, and are so incon- 

 spicuous (being entirely included) that the colony greatly resembles a specimen of Plexaura. 



The individual calyces are indicated superficially only by their openings, which appear 

 as oval apertures in the surface of the ccenenchyma. The latter is covered with disc-shaped 

 imbricating scales with ctenate edges. The polyps are so completely retractile and the calyx 

 margins so entirely close over them that there is almost no evidence of their existence on 

 superficial view. The characters of the operculum could not be made out. 



Spicules. The most abundant forms are ctenate discs, usually of an irregular outline, 

 but ordinarily oval. They sometimes take the form of stout clubs with thorn-like projections 

 from their larger end. Occasionally the Echinogorgia type is seen. Regular spindles are present, 

 but comparatively small and few in number. The ctenate discs stand nearly upright to the 

 branches so that their closely imbricating distal ends pack the surface of the ccenenchyma. 



Color. The colony is very pale brown, almost white. The axis is dark brown, and the 

 spicules colorless. 



This species is very near to the family Plexauridce, and would be placed, probably, in 

 the genus Plexauroides did the axis cylinder conform to the definition for that group. 



*6. Placogorgia deutata new species. (Plate XII, figs. 4, 40; Plate XXII, fig. ia). 



Pulu Missa near Flores, de Siso don. 



Colony (dried) flabellate, scarcely reticulate, there being but few anastomoses of the 

 branches. Height 27.5 cm., diameter 26 cm. The main stem is flattened proximally, being 

 1.3 cm. X 1.6 cm. in cross section. Lateral branches are given off in an exceedingly irregular 

 manner throughout its length, and the main stem does not loose its identity to the very edge 

 of the fan. The branches give off roughly alternate branches and sometimes fork near their 



