225 



This species differs from all the other known species of the 

 genus in its profuse ramification, but the justification for referring 

 it to the genus lies in the fact that the branches arise solely 

 from the calcareous intemodes, and that the coenenchym is 

 throughout extremely thin. In its profuse ramification it 

 resemoles the genus Acanella belonging to the same family, the 

 general character of the spicules recalls that of many species 

 ■of the Dasygorgiidae, whilst the large flat plates covering the 

 bases of the tentacles indicate some affinities with Primnoidae. 



The distribution of the species of Ceratoisis is interesting. 

 The original type specimen of C. grayii (Wright 24) was ob- 

 tained in 400 fms. off Setubal, in Portugal. Verrill (21a) records 



C. ornata as occurring in 250 fathoms off Nova Scotia. C. 

 palmae was obtained by the Challenger in 1,125 fathoms off the 



Canary Islands. The other species are Pacific Ocean forms. 



C. Phillippinensis was found off the Phillippines in 82 fathoms. 



C. grandiflora in 210-255 fathoms, and C. nuda on the reefs off 



Fiji. C. paucispinosa in 345 fathoms on the Hyalonema grounds 



off Japan (23). 



Family Muriceidae. 



Acanthogorgia armata, Verrill. 



Verrill : Am J. Sci XVI., 1878, p. 376. 



„ Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 1883, XL, p. 31. 



Locality : Vasco de Gama Peak, N. 71 E., i8i miles. 230 

 fathoms, stones. 



This species is fully described by Vernll (1883). It was first 

 brought by the Gloucester fishermen from the fishing banks of 

 Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and it was also obtained by the 

 U.S. Fish Commission in 1882 off Martha's Vineyard. It is 

 essentially a deep water form, occurring in 220 fathoms off 

 George's Bank down to 640 fathoms off Martha's Vineyard. It 

 is closely allied to and perhaps identical with specimens obtained 

 in deep water by the " Blake " off the West Indian Islands, and 

 with A. hirsuta Gray obtained in deep water off Madeira. The 

 genus Acanthogorgia is principally found in the Atlantic waters, 

 A. longiflora from 700 fms. off the Phillippines, Acanthogorgia 

 muricata off Funafuti (7a), and Acanthogorgia spinosa off New 

 Britain (7), being the only species which up to the present time 

 have been described as occurring outside this area. The species 

 have been found off the Eastern shores of America, from New- 

 foundland to Patagonia, and the species A. ramosissima has been 

 found in the Southern Ocean off Prince Edward's Island. Studer 

 (17) records the genus from the Gulf of Gascony and the Azores, 

 and the species A. hirsuta was originally described from 

 Madeira. 



