42 



Colony flabellate in form, 11.4 cm. in height, and with a diameter of 5.9 cm. The 

 main stem is tortuous, but the bends are all in the same plane. Seven simple branches and 

 stubs of branches are given off from the proximal 4 cm. of its course, and above these the 

 stem divides into two flabellate branches. Each of these gives off a number of simple lateral 

 branchlets and a few that again divide into branches of the 3rd order. 



The calyces are emplanted on all sides of the branches, but are almost absent on the 

 proximal parts of the colony. On the distal parts they are more thickly approximated on the 

 sides than on the front and back, and are unevenly spaced, the distance between them varying 

 from nothing to 1.8 mm. 



The individual calyces are very low subconical verrucse, a typical one measuring about 

 .8 mm. in height and 1.5 mm. in diameter. The calyx walls are .surrounded distally by com- 

 paratively small, stout vertical spindles, the points of which form blunt projections around the 

 margins. The lower part of the wall is composed of a mosaic of larger irregular plates, the 

 edges of which are usually nicely fitted together, but sometimes imbricate. The polyps are 

 retractile. The operculum is composed of slender spindles, two of which lie along" the dorsal 

 surface of each tentacle with a shorter one between their bases. The collaret is well developed. 



Spicules. These are in the form of irregular plates, usually with rounded angles, of 

 the typical Acis pattern and attain a length of 1.5 mm. Their edges are often ctenate, and 

 their surface is covered with granules which may represent very small verrucse. There is a 

 distinct layer of smaller spindles underlying the outer layer of plates. 



Color. The colony, in alcohol, is almost white, the axis brown, and the spicules colorless. 



General distribution. Off Ceylon. Deep water. 



The type specimen, described by Thomson and Henderson, seems to have had some- 

 what larger spicules than those in the Siboga specimen. 



2. Acts sqtcamata new species. (Plate VII, figs. 2, 2«; Plate XX, fig. 5). 



Stat. 65\ 7°oS., I20°34'.5E. near Saleyer Island. 400 meters. Mud and coral. 



Stat. 253. 5°48'.2 S., 132° 13' E. near Kei Islands. 304 meters. Clay. 



Stat. 305. Mid channel, Solor Strait, oft" Kampong Menanga. 113 meters. Stony. 



Colony flabellate, 14.3 cm. in height and with a spread of 4.9 cm. The main stem is 

 round, 3.8 mm. in diameter. 1.6 cm. from its base it gives off a short branch, and from that 

 point to near its distal end it gives off roughly alternate branches, several of which give 

 off branchlets nearly all of which are on one side of the branch. The branches near the 

 distal end of the colony are more symmetrical in their branchings than the more pro.ximal 

 ones. The calyces are borne almost exclusively on the sides and front of the stem and 

 branches, where they are unevenly distributed, varying from .5 mm. to 2.2 mm. in the distance 

 between them. 



The individual calyces are short tubes averaging about 1.5 mm in height, and about 

 the same in diameter. Their walls are composed of plate-like or scale-like spicules of various 



