115 



general ccenenchyma is fairly thick, and has abundant spicules. The spicules are 

 long slender fluted rods, varying from 0'15-3 mm. in length, and from '01-0 13 

 mm. in width. 



Both ova and embryos were found in the pinnules. 



Localities : Station 260 ; 8° 28' 15" N., 76° 07' E. ; 487 fathoms. Station 323 ; 

 16' 25' N., 93° 43' 30" E. ; 463 fathoms. Station 230 ; 7" 40' N., 70° 00' 52" E. ; 

 824 fathoms. 



Pennatula veneris, n. sp. Plate VIII. fig. 8. 



Three magnificent specimens, with a beautiful colour scheme. The stalk and 

 rachis are dark red, the pinnules are transparent, the autozooids are red with white 

 tentacles. 



The short stalk ends in a s-wollen base, and just below its junction with the 

 rachis there is a short thick spindle-shaped enlargement. 



The rachis, which is many times longer than the stalk, tapers gradually 

 towards the tip, where it becomes thread-like and loses itself in the base of a small 

 pinnule. On the metarachidial surface a deep broad groove extends the whole 

 length ; the prorachidial surface tends to be rounded. 



The pinnules are numerous, and are placed on the pararachidial surfaces, and 

 present a striking contrast to the darker coloured rachis. They are placed almost 

 parallel to the axis of the rachis, and show considerable variation in size, the best 

 developed pinnules being about half-way up the rachis. A well-developed pinnule 

 is triangular in shape with a broad base, and one side, the prorachidial edge, is 

 slightly curved, while the metarachidial edge bears the autozooids. In the younger 

 stages of the pinnules the terminal autozooid is very long, and separated from the 

 rest by a considerable distance, and the peculiar appearance thus resulting is 

 accentuated in still younger stages by the whole pinnule being whip-like, and even 

 resembling a flattened thread with only one, the terminal, autozooid. The pinnules 

 are transparent, and contain abundant ova. 



The autozooids stand in a single row on the edge of the pinnule. They have 

 short stalks, and are expanded at the oral end into a somewhat bell-like shape. 

 There are no projecting spines. The colouring of the polyp is striking. The short 

 stalk is translucent in the lower part, then a brownish-yellow tinge begins to 

 appear, the brown colour becomes gradually intensified in the body of the polyp 

 until just below the origin of the tentacles, where it becomes a deep red. The 

 body wall is marked by eight lines. Towards the base of the pinnule the polyps 

 decrease in size, and finally appear as a row of small white warts on the edge. The 

 tentacles are short, and have one row of pinnules on each side. On the aboral 

 surface they have a narrow band of small red spicules extending up the middle line 

 to the tip. The tentacles curve inwards when at rest, and then they appear like a 

 small white dome marked by eight bands of red which radiate from the apex. 



