is even, without evident crown of thorns or other conspicuous ornamentation. The calyx walls 

 are armed with regular imbricating series of oval scale-like plates with ctenate edges and surfaces 

 thickly emplanted with rounded points. There are about seven of these plates on each abaxial 

 row, and two or three on the adaxial rows. Towards the base of the calyx these plates are 

 narrowed and resemble transversely placed spindles. There is a strong operculum of the primnoid 

 type, composed of eight flaps, each flap consisting of a si'ngle scale-like spicule. These opercular 

 scales are covered with closely emplanted rounded points, and the entire operculum completely 

 covers the infolded tentacles, there being no spaces between the individual segment or flaps. 



Between each pair of adjacent polyps there is a swelling of the ccenenchyma of the 

 branch or stem, the swellings alternating regularly with the polyps and containing ova. The 

 ccenenchyma also contains a layer of rather heavy tuberculate spindles, arranged longitudinally. 



Spicules. These are mainly of two types, i*'. the regular spicules of the ccenenchyma. 

 These are spindles the surfaces of which are covered with rather sharp rounded point. 2°'^. the 

 scale-like spicules of the calyx walls, which are covered with similar points which, on the edges, 

 give the appearance of a ctenate border. These two types of spicules intergrade on the basal 

 parts of the calyces. The triangular scales forming the opercular segments constitute another, 

 but much more infrequent type. 



Color. The colony is almost white, in alcohol, the axis being pure white, and the 

 calyces light brown. 



While but a fragment of this very curious form was secured at Station 145, a number 

 of specimens, apparently complete, were dredged from Station 159. The largest specimen was 

 8.5 cm. long. All are unbranched. 



2. Peltastisis commta new species. (Plate IV, figs. 4, 4^; Plate VI, figs, i, 2, 5). 

 Stat. 300. I0°48.6S., 123° 23.1 E. 918 meters. Fine grey mud. 



The type consists of a small fragment, unbranched, 2.9 cm. long. The calcareous inter- 

 nodes vary from the proximal one which is 6.5 mm. long to the distal one which is 5.5 mm. 

 long, decreasing regularly from proximal to distal ends of the specimen. The horny nodes are 

 ver}^ short, less than .5 mm. They are more slender than the calcareous internodes, being 

 about .5 mm. in diameter, while the latter are about .7 mm. The calyces are uniserial, quite 

 regularly spaced, being about 2.5 mm. apart and three to each calcareous internode. 



The individual calyces are short and thick, shaped like a short, curved club or horn, 

 the distal end being inclined towards the stem or branch, as is characteristic of many of this 

 family and of the Primnoidce. The calyx is about i mm. in height (measured directly with 

 dividers), and a little over 1. mm. in diameter across the margin. 



The abaxial side of the calyx wall is supported by a most remarkable stay or brace 

 consisting of a comparatively enormous spicule that is bent into a bow-shape so that its distal 

 part is applied longitudinally to the curved abaxial contour of the calyx and its proximal portion 

 is applied to the calcareous internode of the branch in such a manner as to curve downward 

 and partly around it. This stay is therefore unsym metrically placed as regards the branch, its 



