REPORT OX THE ALCYONARTA. 13 



The ramification is very abundant, every branch giving off twigs, and these giving off 

 lateral twigs to the fifth order. The twigs arc always given off at sharp angles. The 

 ramification of the end of the branch frequently takes place in a different plane from the 

 twigs at its commencement, which is caused by the fact that the end of the main branch 

 is bent at an angle out of the horizontal. 



The tips of the Ijranches and twigs are thin and hair-like. The axis of the stem and 

 of the twigs is horny, with calcareous deposits at the base of the stem, and in the finer 

 twigs it is flexible and clastic. The colour of the stem and thicker l)ranches is a dark 

 brown, surface shining, iridescent ; that of the finer twigs is a glistening yellow. 



The coenenchyma is very thin and transparent, so that the axis is visiljle all through. 



The polyps arc cylindrical, with broad bases, scarcely thickened at the ends, 1 to 

 1 "5 mm. long. They are absent on the stem ; on the twigs there is, for the most part, 

 one on each node. Only on the end twigs are there from two to three, of which one 

 is immediately below the apex. 



The surface layer of spicules consists of thick spindles, blunt at the ends, which lie 

 close together. Their direction in the polyps follows the longitudinal dii-ection of the 

 latter, they are continued up the tentacles in three or four rows. Their surface is raised 

 into slight warts, which with a low power can only be recognised as slight marginal 

 teeth, but with a high power (Hartnack 7) they appear as the expression of rugose 

 elevations, which are placed concentrically around a central nucleus, and might be con- 

 sidered as lines of growth. The size of the spicules reaches — height to breadth in mm. 

 0-31-0-05 ; 0-3-0-06; 0-3-0-05 ; 0-27-0-04. 



The lower layer consists of oval, biscuit-shaped, lancet-shaped, flat scales, mostly with 

 finely toothed edges, which are united together by interlocking of the teeth. Length to 

 breadth— 0-22-0-1 ; 0-15-0-06; 0-14-0-03 ; 0-11-0-03 ; 0-13 mm. 



Habitat. — Station 192; ofl' the Ki Islands, south of Papua; depth, 140 fathoms; 

 bottom, blue mud. Thi'ee examples. 



[4. Dasygorgia agassizii, Verrill. 



Dasygorfjia aijassizii, Verrill, Bull. Mus, Comp. Zoiil., vol. xi. Xo. 1, p. 22, pi. ii. fig.s. 4, 4", 4'-, 

 1883. 



Habitat.— George's Bank; lat. 41° 24' 45" N., long. G5° 35' 30" W.; depth, 1242 

 fathoms. No specimen was obtained by the Challenger. 



5. Dasygorgia elegans, Verrill. 



Dasygonjia elegan-f, Venill, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoiil., vol. xi. No. 1, p. 23, 1883. 

 Habitat.— OS Granada, 291 f\ithoms. Ofl" Barbados, 237 and 347 fathoms. No 

 specimen was obtained by tlie Challenger.] 



