REPORT ON THE ALCYONARIA. 205 



generally be traced back to twin structures. Their diameter reaches on an average 

 0"3 mm.; sometimes one arm becomes abortive, so that irregular triradiate forms arise; 

 rather large spines, placed at wide distances apart, give them a prickly surface. Owing 

 to the presence of these bodies the outer covering of the trunk acquires a finely granular 

 character. 



In addition to these crosses we meet with spindles in the base of the trunk. These 

 are elongated, y-shaped, pointed at both ends, and covered with fine, sharp spines ; they 

 are red or white, up to 2 mm. in length and 0"08 to 0"l mm. in diameter. In the upper 

 ^lortion of the trunk the spindles predominate, and, owing to their red colour, they 

 are individually distinctly recognisable with the unassisted eye. In the polyp-bearing 

 portion these spicules are mixed with white ones, up to 4 mm. in length. These latter 

 are irregularly arranged in transverse and oblique bands, always so as to leave soft 

 interspaces between them. In the branches they are mostly transversely placed, but in 

 the secondary branches and twigs they take on more of a longitudinal direction. In the 

 twigs and secondary twigs they are mostly white, and are packed so closely together 

 that they give to the outer covering in these places a hard rigid character. A bundle of 

 spicules is developed in each little polyp head, and one particular spicule of the bundle 

 projects above the head for a distance of up to about 2 mm. This spicule is armed in a 

 slightly sinuous manner ; it is half red and half white, and is thickly covered with fine 

 spines ; length, up to 4 mm., diameter 0"1 mm. The other spindles measure as follows : — 

 3 mm. by 0"07 mm., red ; 1"2 mm. by 0'067 mm., white ; 0"83 mm. by 0*08 mm. These 

 spicules are generally bent so as to become somewhat y-shaped; frequently they are 

 sharp at one end and more blunted at the other. The bases of the polyp heads are 

 surrounded by bent spicules arranged in a row ; from these arise spiny spindles directed 

 towards the margin, and from these arise eight more, which project above the bases of 

 the tentacles, like needles. They are generally somewhat bent and blunted at one end, 

 at the other end they are sharper and covered with little upright spines ; length 

 0"58 mm., diameter 0*04 mm. 



In the colour of the colony a yellowish-white prevails, mixed with red here and there. 

 The base of the trunk is a bright purple, the stem, branches, and twigs are yellowish- 

 white, purple spicules occur only here and there, isolated or in tracts. The polyp heads 

 appear reddish, between them appear the purple spicules, which project above the heads. 



Habitat.— Station 203, lat. 11° 6' N., long. 123" 9' K; Philippine Islands; depth, 

 20 fathoms ; bottom, mud. 



Spongodes anguina, n. sp. 



The colony consists of a long, cylindrical, flabby stem, dividing at the end into a 

 number of branches ; these, speedily ramifying, bear at the end umbels of polyps. 



