REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 17 



a convex projection, covers the even edge of the next following ; thus also the lateral 

 edges cover one another. Towards the base of the polyp the scales become smaller, 

 and are irregularly placed, and at length pass over into the three-cornered or irregularly 

 polygonal scales of the coenenchyma. Length to breadth in mm. — 0'3 and 0*29-0"6 ; 

 0-41-0-06 ; 0-38-0-25 ; 0-38-0-15. 



In the tentacles the spicules are spindle-shaped, flat bodies, which are placed 

 longitudinally and form three or four irregular rows, as in the Spiculosse ; they measure 

 from 0-35 to 0-09 mm. 



The lower layer comprises small, irregular, flat, longish forms, often biscuit-shaped, 

 or lobed with toothed edges, 0"14-0'06 ; 0"12-0'05; there are also double and quad- 

 ruple forms. 



Habitat. — Station 170, off" the Kerraadec Islands; depth, 520 fathoms; bottom, 

 volcanic mud. 



11. Dasygorgia geniculata, n. sp. (PI. IV. fig. 5; PI. V. fig. 7). 



The small, slender, elastic stem is upright, bent in a zigzag manner owing to its 

 undergoing an angular bending at the origin of each branch. The branches arise in 

 spirals from three sides of the stem at great intervals, the fourth stands in line with the 

 first. The branches are usually ramified horizontally to the stem, and give ofi" twigs 

 of the third order, which come ofi" nearly at right angles. The polyps are placed on the 

 stem and branches ; on the stem in short spirals, on the branches one or two on an 

 internode. The polyps are covered with small scales, which overlap one another on 

 opposite sides and lie transverse to the axis of the polyp ; the scales are continued up 

 the tentacles in two rows. The coenenchyma contains small, spindle-shaped to flat 

 bodies, placed parallel with one another. 



The colony described is without its base, and has a height of 120 mm. The little 

 stem, in the lower part, has a diameter of 1 '5 mm. The branches arise at considerably 

 wide intervals of 3 mm.; at the commencement they are a little thinner than the stem. 

 They come ofi" from three sides of the stem, the fourth branch comes again into line with 

 the first, and hence a spiral of three branches is formed. The height of the spiral reaches 

 constantly 10 mm. At the origin of each branch the stem undergoes an angular bending 

 on three sides, which gives it a zigzag form and makes it appear like a spiral twisted 

 round a central axis. The branches form nearly right angles with the stem. The 

 branches give ofi" twigs from one side in a horizontal plane. They are bent at angles in 

 the opposite direction to the expansion of the twigs. The twigs bear lateral twigs, and 

 these only in individual cases bear twigs of the third order. The terminal twigs are 

 short, spine-like. The length of the branches reaches 25 mm., and the length of the 

 internodes 5 to 6 mm. 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. — PART. LXH'. 1887.) SsS 3 



