Verrill, Notes on Badiata. 547 



Dr. W. Newcorab last year dredged two specimens in the Gulf of 

 Fonseca, one of which he has sent to the Museum of Yale Colle£?e. 

 He has also loaned me a colored drawing, made from one of these spe- 

 cimens while living, by Mrs. Newcomb. 



The specimen referred to is considerably smaller than those previ- 

 ously described, and is evidently quite immature. Its entire length is 

 66""", of which the pinnate portion, or feather, is 38, and the pedun- 

 cle 28. The pinnate portion is rather oblong, very little rounded on 

 the sides and obtusely rounded at the end. The ventral surface (dor- 

 sal according to Kolliker) of the stalk is narrow below and concealed 

 by the pinnae, which meet but do not overlap ; the upper part is broader 

 and not concealed, its surface is nearly smooth, light gray with 

 streaks of brown. The dorsal surface (ventral, Kolliker), comprising 

 about half the entire circumference, is thickly covered, except along a 

 linear, median, naked space on the lower half, with rounded verrucse 

 formed by the rudimentary polyps, or asexual zooides ; the outer ver- 

 rucae are largest, those nearer the middle becoming smaller and more 

 crowded ; the verrucae are purplish brown, owing to numerous minute 

 purplish spicula, the surface between is grayish white. There are 22 

 pinnae on each side, with a few other rudimentary ones ; the larger 

 ones are broadly rounded, the edge thick and slightly undulated, form- 

 ing nearly a half circle ; they are attached by a narrow base, the 

 polyps of the edge extending in front to the point of attachment, but 

 the dorsal edge is naked, elevated, thin, and concave ; the sides are 

 smooth, grayish white, except near the outer border, which, like the 

 edge and the bodies of the polyps, is purplish, owing to the minute 

 purple spicula with which those parts are filled. The polyps are 

 closely arranged on the thickened edge, in about three rows. The 

 peduncle is constricted just below the feather, swollen below the mid- 

 dle, blunt at the end, and yellowish below, blotched with purplish 

 brown on the upper part of the dorsal surface. 



Length 2*65 inches; the feather 1*55; the peduncle riO; breadth 

 of the feather -80 ; of the peduncle '40 ; of the stock in middle of 

 feather -35 ; breadth of largest pinnae '50 ; their height in center -30 ; 

 of posterior edge -20 ; width of polyp-bearing edge -07. 



The specimen drawn by Mrs. Newcomb, was, when living, 4-55 

 inches long ; the feather 2-85 ; the peduncle 1*65 ; greatest breadth of 

 feather 1-40; of peduncle -80. The feather is more oval in outline, 

 the middle pinnae being more extended ; the peduncle is strongly con- 

 stricted above, suddenly expanded below the constriction, and thence 

 tapering to a point. The color of the peduncle, in life, was orange- 



