44 BULLETIN OF THE 



specimens have been obtained and presented to the U. S. Fish Commission 

 by the Gloucester tishernien, lioni the deep fishing banks ofT Nova Scotia. 

 Greenhmd (Liitken, Mus. Copenhagen). 



The specific name {Liitkeni) was given to this species independently by 

 Marenzeller and myself, at nearly the same time. 



A species of this genus, E. nigra (== Ne'phtluja nigra Pourt., 1868), closely 

 allied to the above, occurs in 120 to 152 fathoms, in the Straits of Florida. 

 It has a similar arrangement of calicles, but the latter, when contracted in alco- 

 hol, are a little larger, and not incurved, but stand out straight, showing eight 

 symmetrical, convergent lobes at the summit, from which eight rather promi- 

 nent spiculose ribs extend down the sides. 



Gersemia longiflora Verkill, sp. nov. 



Plate III. Figs. 6, 6 a, 6 b. 



Coral tall, flexible, l)ranched. The main stem has a naked basal portion, 

 which expands below into a thin, membranous, hollow, cup-shaped basal disk, 

 clasping mud. Stem cavernous, upright, giving oflf, on all sides, numerous 

 unequal lateral branches; the larger branches subdivide in the same manner 

 as the main stem, and some of these secondary divisions may again divide. 

 The ultimate branchlets consist of three to five or more long, cylindrical or 

 tubular calicles, usually collapsed in alcoholic specimens; these are in contact 

 at their bases, without any intermediate ccenenchyma. The calicles are directed 

 upward and spread but little; in the preserved specimens the sides of the cali- 

 cles show eight distinct rounded ribs, nearly obsolete near the base, but be- 

 coming more prominent toward the summit, and terminating in eight triangular 

 lobes. Tentacles, in the preserved specimens, are contracted into a compact 

 bunch at the summit of the calicles, but do not seem to be capable of being 

 entirely concealed. The ccenenchyma of the main stem and principal branches 

 has a finely granulous surface, due to small, rough spicula. The surface of the 

 calicles is somewhat roughened by numerous small, rough, elongated spicula, 

 which are arranged in chevron. Color, in alcohol, yellowish white, grayish 

 at base. 



The spicula vary greatly in size and form; the longer ones are long, slender, 

 sparingly warty spindles (Fig. 6 b, c, d), and stouter spindles of nearly equal 

 length, but with more numerous and larger, iiTegular warts; with these there 

 are numerous shorter, prominently warted, fusiform spicula (Fig. 6 b, e) of 

 equal diameter, and other short, warty spicnla that are scarcely more than 

 twice as long as broad; small spicula of many other forms also occur, and 

 among these there are some compound ones (Fig. 6 b, /, g). 



Height, 110 mm.; greatest breadth, 60 mm.; diameter of main stem at base, 

 about 10 mm.; lengtli of the calicles, 8 to 10 mm.; diameter, 1 to 1.5 mm. 



Station 3.39, in 1186 fathoms, N. Lat. 38° 16' 45", W. Long. 73° 10' 30", 

 Blake Expedition, 1880, 1 specimen. 



