16 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



[8. Dasygorgia splendens, Verrill. 



Dasijgorgia splendens, Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZobL, vol. xi. No. 1, p. 25, 1883. 



Off Santa Cruz; depth, 580 fathoms. "Blake" Expedition. No specimen was 

 obtained by the Challenger. 



B. Squamosae. 



9. Dasygorgia squamata, Verrill. 



Dasygorgia squamata, Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZooL, vol. xi. No. 1, p. 24, 1883. 



Off St. Vincent; depth, 573 fathoms. Off Barbados; depth, 237 fathoms. " Blake" 

 Eipedition. No specimen was obtained by the Challenger.] 



10. Dasygorgia expansa, n. sp. (PI. IV. fig. 4a, h; PI. V, fig. 6). 



The upright stem is angularly bent at the origin of each branch, so that it assumes a 

 zigzag form. The branches arise from three sides of the stem, richly ramified at 

 different levels, the twigs coming off at right angles. Sometimes the twigs of two 

 branches anastomose. The axis is hard, brittle, yellowish, but a little flexible in the fine 

 twigs. The polyps are short. Polyps and ccenenchyma contain, in the outer layer, 

 broad, minute scales, which overlap, and in the polyp are placed transversely to its long 

 axis. In the tentacles there are longitudinally placed spindles. The lower layer 

 contains irregularly shaped, small, longish, calcareous spicules, with toothed edges, which 

 are firmly connected together. 



Of this species only fragments of the stem, with branches, and single torn-off 

 branches were found. The stem is upright, its diameter reaches 1 mm. It gives off 

 branches from three sides, which arise at distances of 2 "5 to 3 mm. from one another. 

 The fourth branch always stands in line with the first. At the point of origin of each 

 branch the stem is angularly bent, so that its whole course acquires a zigzag form. The 

 branches, which are angularly bent on different sides, and at the same time undergo a 

 spiral twisting in their course, give off similarly formed twigs at right angles ; the further 

 ramification extends to twigs of the fourth order. The thin terminal twigs are relatively 

 short, the internodes up to 8 mm. long. Owing to the ramification in different planes 

 and the relatively close sequence of the branches, it frequently happens that the twigs- 

 of two branches cross one another, and then in some cases an anastomosis follows. 



The polyps are cup-shaped, and are placed obliquely ; usually there is only one on an 

 internode. 



The spicules are flat, scale-shaped bodies, with somewhat undulating edges ; in the 

 polyp they are placed transversely ; the upper edge of the lower ones, which often exhibits. 



