MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 3 



ing occurs at its ujiper part. The body or middle part of the rachis is some- 

 times considerably swollen, though in alcoholic specimens it is contracted and 

 thin. There are a large number of small zooids, with many more or less large, 

 acute, spiniform, and spiculose processes among them; these are often long and 

 conspicuous. The alae are also variable in form. They are usually long and 

 narrow, with a single row of spinose calicles along the edge; the edge is some- 

 times deeply divided between the calicles, or even lacerate. 



The polyps (Fig. 2 a), in life, when fully expanded, have long, slender, 

 tapering, acute tentacles, with numerous slender pinnai, the distal ones grad- 

 ually becoming very short ; stem of tentacles dark red, pinnae pale rose or 

 whitish. The tentacles come out in the interval between the groups of spines 

 on the edge of the calicles. When not fully extended the tips and pinna) are 

 incurved, and therefore appear obtuse (Figs. 2 a, 2.b). 



Off Martha's Vineyard, we dredged, on the Fish Hawk, a rose-colored 

 variety (var. rosea Dan.) at several localities. In one instance we also took 

 a pure white specimen (var. alba V.), at Station 1025, in 216 fathoms. This 

 is doubtless only an albino. The color is usually deep red, with the stalk 

 rosy, becoming yellowish white at the base. 



Specimens dredged by the Blake in 1880 : — 



This species is very abundant and widely distributed on our coasts, in 100 to 

 487 fathoms, on soft muddy bottoms. Gulf of St. Lawrence, 160-200 fathoms, 



— AVhiteaves, 1871-73; Gulf of Maine, — U. S. Fish Commission, on the 

 " Bache," 1872-73; Grand Bank, St. Peter's Bank, Banquereau, Western Bank, 

 and other banks oflf Nova Scotia, in 60 to 300 fathoms, — Gloucester fisher- 

 men (in 29 lots, including about 90 specimens); off Cape Sable, N. S., 88 

 fathoms, — U. S. Fish Commission; off Martha's Vineyard and Block Island, 

 and off Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, 1880, 1881, 1882, in 100-487 fathoms, 



— U. S. Fish Commission. Several hundreds of specimens were taken at each 

 of the Stations 943, 945, 1025. 



Christiansund, 30-100 fathoms, — Sars and Danielssen; Eastern Atlantic, 

 300 fathoms, — Carpenter and Thomson. 



Pennatula (Ptilella) borealis Bars, sp. 



Pennalula prandis Ehrenberg, Corall. rothen Meeres, 1832, p. 66 {non Pallas). 



KOlliker, Zoul. Voy. Challenger, I., Pt. IT.. 1881, p. 4. 

 Pennatnld borealis, Sars, Fauna Lit. Norvcgias, I., 18o6, p. 17, pi. 2, figs. 1-4. 



KuLLiKER, Pennatuliden, I., p. 136. 



Verrill, Anier. Jour. Sci., XVI., 1878, p. 375; XXIV., Nov. 1882, p. 364. 



