84 i'llOVl'lDUlNOH OF THK NATIONAL MUHEUM. vol.43. 



Color: The axis is brown proxiinally, lightening diHtally; colony in 

 general apparently dark lirown, but this seems to be accidental, as the 

 spicules when in situ are covered with black or dark-brown specks 

 which do not appear in the cleaned spicules. The polyps are umber- 

 browii. 



Localities. — Station 4935; Sata Misaki T.ight, N. 58° E., 4.5 miles; 

 103 fathoms. Station 4936; Sata Misaki Light, N. 21° E., 5.7 miles; 

 103 fathoms. Station 5070 (<.ypc); Oso Saki, S. 8° W., 1.8 miles; 

 108 fathoms. 



Type-specimen.— Cat. No. 30090, U.S.N.M. 



This species approaches Muricclla, on the one hand, in the strong 

 spindles, and Ads in some of the plate-like spicules. It boars some 

 resemblance to Aainthomuricea ramosa Thomson and Henderson. * 

 This species, however, will go wsy well into the genus Placogorgia 

 of iiiifhors. 



Genus VILLOGORGIA Duchassaing and Michelotti (emended 

 by "Wright and Studer). 



(/olonyflabellale, often reticidate; cnnnenchyma thin; calyces short; 

 cylinders with an operculum in which each flap is comp«)sed of three 

 spindles arranged in an acute-angled triangle. vSpicules mainly tri- 

 radiate or quadriradiate forms, or "Stachelplatten." 



VILLOGORGIA BRUNNEA, new species. 



Plate- J 2, Hot. 2, 'Zn; plain 21, (if?. :?. 



(Jolony llab(5llate and reticulate, 5.8 cm. higli and with a spread of 4.9 

 cm. Main stem 2 mm. in diameter; mm. from its base it forks 

 into two subequnl branches, offslioots of whicli anastomose. Branch- 

 lets op})osit(^ and irregularly alternate, some of the distal ones again 

 branching. The distance between branchlets averages about 5 mm. 

 The calyces are n)aiiily lateral, but some are on the front of the colony, 

 irregularly alternate on ajitcro-latcral surface, about 1.5 mm. apart. 



The imlividual calyces are in the form of short cylinders, a typical 

 one measuring 1 .3 nnn. high to margin and 1.5 mm. broad. Thf^y are 

 often more like broadly truncated cones. Their walls are filled with 

 small trira(Hate and rpiarhiradiate spicules, the points of which are 

 inc()nspicuous ])ut wliich are directed slightly upward and outward 

 from the walls. There are no marginal points. The l)olyps usually 

 rest with their collarets on the margin. Collarets well marked, con- 

 sisting of two or more circular rows of spindles. Operculum formed 

 mainly of three spindles in the usual position for this gcims, forming 

 an acUte-angled triangle pointing toward the center of the dome- 

 shap(Ml tentacular mass. There are usually a few accessory spicules 

 parallel with the others. 



• Alcyonarla of Iho Indian Ocean, vol. 1, lonfi, p. fil. 



