12 BULLETIN OF THE 



which are often swollen, and as broad as the middle (Fig. 3d, /,{/). These 

 measure 2.50 by .15, 2.30 by .20, 2.25 l)y .15, 2.22 by .13, 2.20 by .18, 2.20 

 by .15, 2.20 by .10, 2.10 by .10, 1.90 by .15, 1.80 by .15, 1.80 by .11 mm. 



In the tentacles there are numerous smaller, obhjng, or somewhat hour-glass- 

 shaped spicula, of various sizes, mostly enlarged, obtuse and striated at both 

 ends (Fig. 3d, h, i). The larger of these measured .65 by .10, .45 by .06, .45 

 by .05, .30 by .03 mm. 



The coenenchyma contains large, scattered, fusiform spicula, finely striated 

 longitudinally, and mostly acute at both ends, which are covered with small 

 spinilorm or conical warts, in rows. The larger of these measure 4.20 by .03, 

 4.10 by .025, 3.50 by .02, 3.50 by .018, 3.40 by .025, 3.20 by .02, 3.15 by .015, 

 2.80 by .02, 2.70 by .02, 2.65 by .015, 2.60 by .022, 2.40 by .02 mm. These 

 large spicula are mostly nearly straight, but some are bent more or less. They 

 are accompanied liy a few much smaller fusiform spicula, acute at both ends, 

 and by still smaller oblong ones, obtuse at the tips. These are from .015 to 

 .023 mm. long, by about .004 to .005 mm. thick. 



The largest specimen seen, which, however, lacks the base, was 1020 mm. 

 (about 40 inches) in height; diameter of the main stem, not including calicles, 

 7 mm.; length of calicles, mostly 5 mm.; their diameter, about 2 mm.; length 

 of calcareous joints of stem, about 50 to 70 mm.; of horny ones, 4 to 4.5 mm. 

 One branch was 675 mm. (about 27 inches) long witliout dividing. 



Height of one of the original specimens, 660 nmi. (about 26 inches); breadth, 

 458mm. (about 18 inches); length of longest undivided branchlets, 300 to 

 400 mm. (about 12 to 16 inches); diameter of calcareous joints of main stem 

 (base absent), 9 mm.; of the larger branches, 5 mm.; length of the calcareous 

 joints, in the larger branches, 30 to 48 mm., but mostly about 40 mm. ; diam- 

 eter in smaller branchlets, about 1.5 mm.; length, 19 to 32 mm.; length of 

 chitinous joints of larger branches, 2.5 to 5 mm. 



The two original specimens were taken, in 1877, by Mr. Philip Merchant, of 

 the schooner " Marion," off Sable Island, N. S., in about 250 fathoms, and 

 another was taken by Mr. George K. Allen, of the same vessel. Several other 

 specimens have sul)seqiiently been obtained by other vessels of the Gloucester 

 fishing fleet, from the banks off Nova Scotia, where it occurs in 200 to 300 

 fathoms. It was not taken by the Blake. 



This is a large and lieautiful species of a family formerly considered chiefly 

 tropical in habitat, but now known to be peculiarly characteristic of rather 

 deep water in all latitudes. The golden or bronzy chitinous joints usually 

 contrast finely with the clear ivory-white calcareous joints. 



The genus was founded by Professor E. Perceval Wright, in 1869, for a species 

 (C. Graiii W.) very closely allied to this, and taken in deep water (400 fath- 

 oms) off the coast of Portugal. 



A closely allied species, perhaps identical, was found in deep water in the 

 Caribbean Sea by the Blake, in 1878-79; but the specimen is a fragment too 

 imperfect to be readily identified. 



