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



have a general resemblance to those of Schizopathes, but differ in the direction in which 

 the stoniodseum is elongated, in the structure of the ovaries, as well as in other points. 

 The corallum also lacks the simplicity of Schizopathes and Bathypathes. The spines' are 

 of the same type as those of Cladopaihes, but the two genera differ considerably in the 

 structure of their zooids. 



Taxipathes recta, n. sp. (PI. VII.). 



Stem straight, erect, bearing strong lateral branches, usually at right angles, which 

 may in turn bear branchlets on their anterior or posterior surfaces. The stem, main 

 branches, and branchlets are clothed with six rows of short simple pinnules at right 

 angles, arranged in interrupted spirals as in Parantipathes larix. Spines comparatively 

 distant, conical, and somewhat hooked upwards ; disposed in longitudinal series. The 

 type specimen consists of the upper 26 cm. of a stem, together with the branches or 

 pinnules which it bears. The base is not preserved, but, judging from the thickness of 

 the stem, it is probably not free and sickle-shaped as in Schizopathes. 



The stem is round, erect, and distinctly tapering ; it has a diameter of 3 mm. below, 

 and about 0'5 mm. near the apex. It bears a number of sublateral branches at irregular 

 intervals, and not in a plane, some of which are strong and elongate. Most of them 

 form a very wide angle with the stem — almost a right angle. Probably this feature 

 was more marked in the living specimen than it appears in the spirit preparation. 

 When first taken from the jar in which the specimen had been preserved, the upper 

 portion of the stem was bent to one side, and the strong branch near the base of the 

 specimen was arched upwards (in the manner represented in PL VII. fig. 1), but after 

 being placed in a larger jar for some days the stem lost its curvature, and the strong 

 branch referred to assumed a subhorizontal position, evidently showing the curvature 

 to be due to pressure. None of the stronger branches are complete. Two of them, one 

 near the base of the specimen, and the other 12 "5 cm. higher up and on the opposite side, 

 have evidently been very long, and have a diameter of 1 7 mm. ; a number of others are 

 over 1 mm. in diameter. The branches vary from 2"5 to 14 cm. in length, but two or three 

 have been considerably longer. Some of them bear one or two secondary branches, 

 from 1'5 to 9 cm. loug. These usually project either vertically downwards, upwards, 

 or have an oblique subhorizontal course. The stem, as well as the primary and secondary 

 branches, are clothed with six rows of relatively short, slender, and rigid pinnules, the 

 arrangement of which will be understood by a reference to PI. VII. figs. 4, 5. Three of 

 the rows are arranged in a sinistrorse half spiral ; the other three are arranged in a, 

 dextrorse half spiral in such a manner that the highest members of each half spiral, as also 

 the lowest, form adjoining rows. The arrangement is very similar to that which obtains 

 in Parantipathes larix, excepting that in this case the rows are not equidistant, but an 



