14 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGEE. 



6. Dasygorgia sqiiarrosa, n. sp. (PI. V. fig. 4). 



The slender, sliglitly beut stem bears only a few branches, which arise from four sides 

 at considerable distances from one another, and give off a few twigs at oblique angles. 

 The ramification takes place in several planes. The axis is dark brown, horny, brittle. 

 The polyps are placed far from one another, and stand up jserpendicularly from the 

 twigs. The spicides are smooth spindles, longitudinally placed in the calyx, and oval or 

 irregular discs with finely toothed edges, which form the deeper layer. 



Of this species there are only a fragment, 70 mm. in length, and several separated 

 twigs, which, however, are sufficient to distinguish the form as a distinct species. 



The polyp axis has, to judge from the larger fragment, a characteristic rugose appear- 

 ance. The main stem is thin, its diameter at the beginning being 1 mm. It appears 

 slightly bent in its course, and the angular bendings at the points whence the branches 

 arise are scarcely visijjle. The branches come off from the stem at considerable vertical 

 intervals, and are so given ofi' that the fourth Ijranch always stands over the first. 

 Accordingly the points of origin of the branches form long spirals, whose height, from 

 one corresponding branch to another, reaches 39 mm., the vertical distance of one branch 

 from the next following it being 8 to 10 mm. At the origin of the twigs, which arise 

 far from one another, the l:>rauches show a strong angular bending, and the twigs form 

 obtuse angles, with them. From the twigs arise simple lateral twigs, at obtuse angles. 



The bending of the branches and of the outgoing twigs 

 takes place in different planes, sometimes horizontal, 

 sometimes perpendicular to the stem. 



The polyps are cup-shaped, mostly somewhat con- 

 stricted above the base and expanded towards the mouth 

 opening. They are scattered far aj^art on the stem and 

 branches. There is one polyp to each node on the stem, 

 usually one or two on each node of a branch or twig. The 

 axis is horny, stiff, slightly elastic, and maintains this 

 Fig. 5.— Ramification of Dasygorgia character right to the end of the twigs. The colour is 



sqiiarrosa, n. sp. " _ ^ _ _ 



dark brown, shining on the surface, feebly iridescent. 



In the thin, transparent coenenchyma, and in the polyps, the spicules form a 

 superficial layer of smooth spindles, which lie close together, and in the polyps are 

 placed longitudinally. Frequently they are somewhat bent, and generally blunted at 

 one end. Their length to breadth in mm. reaches 0-33-0-OG ; 0-33-0-04 ; 0-03-0-04; 

 0-44-0-067; 0-35-0-04. 



Those of the inner layer are flat, oval, smooth scales, or lancet-shaped to spindle- 

 shaped bodies, which are united together by toothed edges. Sometimes two to four 



