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



6. Dasygorgia squarrosa, n. sp. (PI. V. fig. 4). 



The slender, slightly bent stem bears only a few branches, which arise from four sides 

 at consideraljle distances from one another, and give oflf a few twigs at oblique angles. 

 The ramification takes place in several jalaues. The axis is dark brown, horny, brittle. 

 The polyps are placed far from one another, and stand up perpendicularly from the 

 twigs. The spicules are smooth spindles, longitudinally placed in the calyx, and oval or 

 irregular discs with finely toothed edges, which form the deeper layer. 



Of this species there are only a fragment, 70 mm. in length, and several separated 

 twigs, which, however, are sufficient to distinguish the form as a distinct species. 



The polyp axis has, to judge fi'om the larger fragment, a characteristic rugose appear- 

 ance. The main stem is thin, its diameter at the beginning being 1 mm. It appears 

 slightly bent in its course, and the angular bendings at the points whence the branches 

 arise are scarcely visible. Tlie brunches come off from the stem at consideraljle vertical 

 iatervals, and are so given oft' that the fomlh branch always stands over the first. 

 Accordingly the points of origin of the branches form long spirals, whose height, from 

 one corresponding branch to another, reaches 39 mm., the vertical distance of one branch 

 from the next following it being 8 to 10 mm. At the origin of the twigs; which arise 

 far from one another, the branches show a strong angular bending, and the twigs form 

 obtuse angles with them. From the twigs arise simple lateral twigs, at obtuse angles. 



The bending of the branches and of the outgoing twigs 

 takes place in difi"erent planes, sometimes horizontal, 

 sometimes pei'pendicular to the stem. 



The polyps are cup-shaped, mostly somewhat con- 

 stricted above the base and expanded towards the mouth 

 ojiening. They are scattered far apart on the stem and 

 Ijranches. There is one polyp to each node on the stem, 

 usually one or two on each node of a branch or twig. The 

 axis is horny, stiff, slightly elastic, and maintains this 

 Fig. 5.— Ramification of i)fflS2/yo/-^ia character right to the end of the twigs. The colour is 



sqwarrosu, n. sp. " . . 



dark brown, shining on the surface, feebly iridescent. 



In the thin, transparent coenenchyma, and in the polyps, the spicules form a 

 superficial layer of smooth spindles, which lie close together, and in the polyps are 

 placed longitudinally. Frequently they are somewhat bent, and generally blunted at 

 one end. Their length to breadth in mm. reaches 0-33-0-06 ; 0-33-G-04 ; 0-03-0-04 ; 

 0-44-0-067 ; 0-35-0-04. 



Those of the inner layer are fiat, oval, smooth scales, or lancet-shaped to spindle- 

 shaped bodies, which are united together by toothed edges. Sometimes two to four 



