REPORT ON" THE ALCYONARIA. 57 



1. Stenella johnsoni, n. sp. (PI. XIII. fig. 3 ; PL XX. fig. 6). 



Axis attached to Corals, irregularly branching, branches at wide intervals, and 

 irregularly dichotomous. The only specimen dredged is about 200 mm. in height. 

 Older portion of a dense horny and calcareous structure ; younger portions horny, feebly 

 calcareous. Ccenonchyma thin, with large scale-like .spicules, often imbricated, and 

 varjdng in size and outline, through which the axis is seen. At the base of the polyps the 

 spicules are large and concave, partially surrounding the opercular scales. 



Polyps in whorls of two. Polyps about 2 '5 mm. high hj 1"5 mm. at widest diameter. 

 The large scale-like spicules which surround the body are in about three rows, overlapping 

 at their edges ; the row immediately below the opercular spicules consists of four large 

 spicules, the free edges of which form a deep frill around the polyp. Opercular scales 

 eight in number ; when closed the summit of the operculum scarcely projects beyond the 

 margin of the cup-like frill formed by the last row of body spicules. The spicules on 

 the body are symmetrical. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma measure 1-075 ; l'25-0'50 mm.; those on the polyps 

 1-50-1; 1-1 to 1-25-1 mm. (just below opercular scales). The opercular scales 

 0-50-0-45 mm. 



Of this species parts only of one specimen were obtained ; these were very much 

 damaged by the tangles getting intertwined with them. It is nearly related to Stenella 

 imbricata, Yate Johnson, bat is easilj'- to be distinguished by the form of the opercular 

 scales, which in the species from Madeira form a projecting cone over the retracted tentacles. 



Habitat. — Station 344, off Ascension Island; depth, 420 fathoms; bottom, hard 

 ground. 



Stenella gigantea, n. sp. (PL XIV. fig. 4 ; PL XX. fig. 8). 



Axis in the only specimen found, about 520 mm. long and 2 mm. in diameter. 

 Slightly curved, dense, brittle, the horny fibres being largely loaded with calcareous 

 matter. Very slightly grooved, iridescent. The cceneuchyma is thin, with a dense layer 

 of large irregularly quadrilateral spicules, which form quite a crust around the axis. The 

 polyps are in whorls of four each, about 10 mm. apart. Tlio poly|3S are large, from 

 6 to 7 mm. in height, and about 3 mm. in widest diameter. The large scale-like spicules 

 that surround the body of the pol}'p form about four rows, of which the fourth or 

 prc-opercular row is formed of four large scales, forming a calyx, within which are the 

 very prominent projecting opercular scales; these latter are deeply keeled. On the side 

 of the body of the polyp, next to the axis, a few small, circular, scale-like spicules are 

 found. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma measure 2 mm. by 1 mm. Of those on the body of 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. — PART LXIV. — 1887.) Ss3 8 



