10 



spindles, readily visible to the naked eye (some over 5 mm. in length), arranged 

 for the most part in longitudinal interlacing rows. On the surface many of the 

 spindles lie exposed throughout their whole length. Towards the base of the 

 cup the spicules increase in size, and they attain their maximum dimensions — 

 almost 1 cm. in length — in the basal wisp. These are probably the largest 

 Alcyonarian spicules as yet known. 



The internal part of the wall of 

 the cup, as distinguished from the 

 hard cortex just described, is soft and 

 muscular. It is about 9 mm. in 

 thickness where it joins the base of 

 the dome, and narrows gradually to 

 the margin of the cup. 



The System of Canals. — Each of 

 the finger-like polyp-bearing lobes 

 has a large canal, with which the 

 cavities of the polyps communicate. 

 These branch canals pass into the 

 dome or the wall of the cup, as the 

 case may be, and uniting with others 

 form the main longitudinal canals. 

 These are relatively large, especially 

 at the base of the cup and below the 

 central dome, where they are about 

 2"5 ram. in diameter. From this 

 region of maximum size, they gradually taper into the wisp-like stalk. The 

 walls of the canals bear the strong longitudinal muscle-bands, and there are 

 very few spicules. 



Polyp-heariiuj Lobes or Branches. — Looking down into the mouth of the 

 cup, one sees the heads of between sixty and seventy polyp-bearing lobes or 

 branche.s, but the number visible will of course depend on the degree to which 

 the dome is contracted. Besides the branches on its summit, the central dome 

 bears four whorls, and there are also four tiers on the wall of the cup. It 

 should be noted, however, that the lobes do not all arise singly from the central 

 dome, but may cohere for a distance of 2-6 mm. at their bases. Some are 

 united in pairs ; in one case seven were found to be cohering. 



Poli/ps. — Each of the finger-like branches resembles a spike-inflorescence, 

 and bears 150-200 close-set sessile polyps. These almost cover the surface, but 

 without discernible arrangement. At the summit there is a terminal polyp 

 which is larger than the others. In many cases a branch has a length of 

 15 mm. and a maximum diameter of 3 mm., but in regard to these and other 



Fig. 6. View of the colony from above, showing 

 tips of polyp-bearing lobes occupying the 

 mouth of the cup. — ^About natural size. 



