EEPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 115 



overlapping one another like tiles on a roof ; the last row projects upon the oral region ; 

 they measure, length by breadth— 0-37-0-33 ; 0-3-0-16 ; 0-5-0-4 ; 0-3-0-2 mm. 



The colleret, which sinks within the margin of the calyx, consists of peripherally placed 

 spiny spicules. The opercular covering is formed of two or three converging spindles, 

 which are placed on the bases of the tentacles, and leave large interspaces, so that the oral 

 region is imperfectly closed in. The opercular spicules measure 0"37 to 0'03 mm. The 

 axis is transparent, horny, slightly flexible, of a light-brown colour. The coenenchyma 

 and the polj-ps when dried are white. 



Habitat. — St. Paul's Rocks, Atlantic ; depth, 80 fathoms. 



Genus 9. Acamptoc/orgia, u. gen. 



Stem upright, branched, with a branched horny axis. Polyps short, at right angles 

 to the stem ; ccenench}Tna very rough. The spicules both in the coenenchyma and 

 polyps are partly curved spindles, with iiTegularly branched spines ; partly peculiar 

 spicules with foliaceous expansions arising from a two- or three-rayed base. There is 

 a colleret of curved spiny spindles. The bases of the tentacles are armed with a few 

 long spiny spicules, which form a low cone-shaped operculum. The species have a 

 general resemblance to those of Villogorgia ; they form slender upright stems, branched 

 in one plane, with relatively large polyps on the branches, arranged either in alternating 

 series or in short spirals. The polyps have blunt, conical, warty calyces, wdthiu whose 

 margin the coUerets appear sunken. The tentacles in repose are quite infolded ; their basal 

 portions contain two or three converging spiny spicules, which form quasi-operculi over 

 the oral regions. The spicules of the coenenchyma are curved and bent spindles with 

 jagged and frequently branched spines, which are more strongly developed on the 

 convex sides than on the concave. The polyp spicules are remarkable : from the 

 spindle-like bases one or two foliar expansions arise ; in the least complex cases, and 

 chiefly at the base of the polyps, these arise thus — a somewhat bent spindle is furnished 

 with a dentate foliar expansion, from the margin of its convex side, the long axis of 

 which stands a little obliquely to the long axis of the spiuiUe. In most cases the 

 spicule has become triradiate by the shooting out of several projections from about its 

 middle. From the place where these I'ays centre one or two dentate foliar ex^iausious 

 arise, these latter stand at an acute angle to one another, and theii' long axes always 

 fall uito the angle between two of the rays. These spicules are so placed on the wall 

 of the polyp body that the stellate rays ai-e always inserted into it, while the foliar 

 expansions project, scale-like, over the surface. The colleret consists of bent spindles, 

 spiny, and upon which the opercular spicules abut. Each of the eight rays of the 

 opercular covering consists of but throe, fairly broad and somewhat flattened spicules, 



' ccKafiTTO;, rigid. 



