48 BULLETIN OF THE 



Color of the botly and disk pale pink, light rosy, or pale flesh-color, varying 

 to Balmon-color, translucent. Tentacles often darker colored, salmon, light 

 orange to orange-brown, commonly with a flake-white ring or streak near the 

 tip. The color is often nearly uniform throughout. 



Diameter 10 to 20 mm. ; height 15 to 25 mm. 



This species has been taken in large numbers, on hard sandy bottoms, among 

 and on sponges and worm-tubes, in 72 to 158 fathoms, at a number of locali- 

 ties, off Martha's Vineyard and off Delaware Bay, by the U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion steamer Fish Hawk, in 1880, 1881, and 1882. It waa not obtained by the 

 Blake. 



Sy nan thus mirabilis Verrill. 

 Synanthus mirabilis Verrill, Amer. Jour. Sci., XVII., 1879, p. 474. 

 Plate VI. Fie. 9. 



This is a small actinian, which grows parasitically on the dead axis of Para- 

 muricea grandis and other gorgonians. In some cases it is so closely grouped as 

 to completely cover the surface of several of the larger branches, or even of the 

 entir«^ coral. The base of each individual expands widely, and closely clasps 

 the branch, often entirely surrounding it, the opposite lobes coalescing when 

 they meet ; the basal membranes of adjacent individuals also unite where they 

 meet, and in this way entirely conceal the gorgonian axis. " In alcoholic speci- 

 mens most of the individuals are contracted into rounded verrucse, with the ten- 

 tacles entirely concealed, but some are still expanded ; in these the tentacles are 

 contracted into a short, stout, blunt shape, and are arranged in two alternating 

 circles of about twelve each, with indications of another outer circle of much 

 smaller ones. Mouth small, elliptical. Surface of the body usually smooth, 

 sometimes wrinkled, or having the appearance of low, inconspicuous verrucse. 

 The basal membrane shows distinct, divergent, radiating lines, corresponding 

 to the internal lamellae, and these lines are also frequently visible on the 

 column itself. Diameter of the polyps, in alcohol, mostly from 2 to 4 mm. 



When this genus was originally constituted, I supposed that the close union 

 of the polyps, at their bases, was due to basal budding. Possibly that may be 

 the case, to some extent, but the later and better preserved specimens indicate 

 that it is due to coalescence. 



The specimens originally described were from off Nova Scotia, in 200 to 300 

 fathoms, on Paragorgia, Primnoa, etc., but were poorly preserved ; possibly 

 they may be distinct from those described above. 



Station 317, in 333 fathoms, N. Lat. 31° 37', W. Long. 78° 18' 36", Blake 

 Expedition, 1880. 



