ameter, flatly tapering toward the tip, as well as decreasing in the opposite 

 direction to where the polypi ferous rows terminate or become obsolete. From 

 this latter point to the beginning of the base or root, a portion of the polypi- 

 dom, eqnal to about one sixth of its entire length, is quite slender, being only 

 about twice the diameter of the naked axis, and the surface quite smooth ; said 

 portion, as well as the base, is round (in cross section) ; the basal part is from 

 one ninth to one eleventh of the entire length, and about one inch in diameter, 

 with the surface longitudinally wrinkled or contracted, presenting a ridged or 

 fibrous appearance. 



Style or axis long, slender, white, hard, bony, somewhat polished, about three 

 sixteenths (3-16) of an inch in diameter in the thickest part, tapering gradually 

 toward the tip, and attenuated, with surface somewhat roughened toward the 

 basal extremity. Inclosed in the polyp-mass or polypidom, the axis is «entral 

 from the base to where the polyp-rows begii], when it soon become- marginal or 

 lateral, forming a prcmiinent rounded edge (free from polyps) on one side of the 

 polypiforous portion of the whole. From near the sides of the axial edge the 

 polyp-rows start, and run obliquely upward to the opposite side, where they' 

 nearly or quite meet, presenting, when that side is observed from above, a con- 

 centric chevron or ^Y'^'I^^ arrangement. The more conspicuous polyp-rows 

 show from nine to fourteen polyps, with occasional intermediate rows of three 

 or more polyps. 



The length of the most perfect of Dr. Blake's specimens was sixty-six (66) 

 inches ; of which, commencing at the tip, a length of forty-eight and a quarter 

 (48)^) inches was occupied by the polyp-rows, which numbered two hundred 

 and forty-five (245), or twice that'number when both sides or arms of the chev- 

 ron or j^ are considered. The number of polyps in each row was, in this speci- 

 men, from eight (S) to eleven (11), with occasional intermediate shorter rows of 

 from three (3) to seven (7). Estimating ten to the row, this specimen exhibited 

 about^ye thoumncl polyps, all of which, as well as the polyps in the other speci- 

 mens, were filled with diminutive ova, of an orange color. In the next section 

 of this specimen, the length between the last polyp-row and the swell of the base 

 or root, is eleven and one quarter (11)4) inches ; thence to the termination of the 

 base, six (6) inches. 



The average dimensions of thirty-six (36) of the axes in the Museum of the 

 California Academy is five feet six and one third inches in length, and the diam- 

 eter or the largest, nine thirty-seconds of an inch ; diameter of smallest speci- 

 men, one sixteenth of an inch. 



In connection with the above description, some allowance should be made for 

 the contraction and injury of the tissues by the alcohol in which the specimens 

 ■were placed after they reached this city. 



Additional specimens of the above species, from the same locality, have been 

 received from J S. Lawson, Esq., U. S. Coast Survey, by George Davidson, 

 Esq., President of the Academy. 



