22 BULLETIN OF THE 



come genuine scales. The sharp distinction Iwtween the calcareous base and 

 the more horny stem, above, indicates, perhaps, some relationship with the 

 Isidse. 



Dasygorgia Agassizii V^errill, sp. nov. 



Plate II. Figs. 4, 4 a, 4 b. 



Two specimens of this elegant species were taken off George's Bank, at Sta- 

 tion 308, in 1,242 fathoms, N. Lat. 41° 24' 45", W. Long. G5° 35' 30". 



The larger specimen, broken at both ends, is about 225 mm. high; the stem 

 is about 2.5 mm. in diameter at base, while the slender side branchlets are 40 

 to 60 mm. long, and exceedingly slender and hair-like. Toward the base there 

 were a few larger branches, only one of which remains. Along the main stem, 

 which is a little bent in zigzag, the side branchlets are numerous and close, 

 and spread nearly at right angles, ascending a little at their bases; they are 

 arranged somewhat alternately, but form five rows along the stem, or, in other 

 words, every sixth one lies in nearl}' the same vertical plane; the vertical dis- 

 tance between successive branches is about 2 mm., and between every sixth, 

 in the same line, from 10 to 12 mm. 



The branchlets are two or tliree times forked; the first fork is 3 to 4 nmi. 

 from the axil; each branch usually again divides 3 to 5 mm. from the first 

 forking; after this the forking is unequal, some of the divisions remaining 

 simple, others dividing; the ultimate branchlets are exceeding delicate and 

 hair-like, and have a tendency to lie in horizontal planes. The axis of the 

 main stem is round, not grooved, smooth and lustrous, with a bright, bronze- 

 like lustre and light yellow color; that of the branchlets is pale and)er-color, 

 and translucent; the axis is largely horny, and can be easily cut with a knife, 

 but it effervesces in acids. At the base the nature and color of the axis ab- 

 ruptly change, the basal expansion and root-like processes being ivory-white 

 and stony. In our examples the base divides into several long, divergent, 

 irrecTular, palmate, flattened processes, for anchoring the coral in the mud. 



The calicles are few, prominent, oblique, rather distantly scattered along the 

 sides of the branchlets, which they often exceedNn diameter; they are mostly 

 obliquely set, their summits being directed upward and outward, while the 

 basal portion is larger, swollen, and more horizontal along the branchlets; the 

 summit is conspicuously eight-lobed, and the tentacles are not entirely retrac- 

 tile, their bases showing as eight convergent, spiculose lobes; the sidrs of the 

 calicles are covered with slender, oblong, flat spicula, which are m..stly paralh-1 

 with the calicle on the lower half, but near the liases of the tentacles buome 

 more or less oblique. 



The spicula- of the calicles (Fig. 4 b, c, d) are mostly small, flattened, slend.r, 

 oblong, often with nearly parallel sides, but mostly narrower in the middle, 

 bluntly rounded at the ends, the surfarce finely striated; some of these meas- 

 ured .'l8 bv .05, .10 by .05, .Ul by .04, .15 by .05. .13 by .04 mm. Toward 

 the apex of the calicles and in the bases of the tentacles, there are many acute 



