Narratu'i-; of Bahama Expedition. 87 



tube re\'eals a central cavity surrounded by the ei^iit mesen- 

 terial chambers, which reach from the base of the branch clear 

 up to the terminal polyp. The ridf^es indicating these mesen- 

 teries can be seen externalh' running along in parallel lines to 

 the extremity of the axial polyp. At rather short intervals 

 lateral polyp-tubes appear, ending distally in calicles with eight 

 longitudinal ridges. The polyps can be partially, and per- 

 haps whollv. protracted from the calicles. Color of entire 

 colony, orange. The specimen closely resembles Tclato 

 urhorccu as tigured and described in the •• Challenger " Report. 



Two other species of the Alcyonacea belong to the widely 

 distributed genus Spongvdes. The colony at first glance seems 

 to be nothing but an agglomeration of spicules. The polyps 

 are in dense, short clusters or clumps, and are so compacth' 

 surrounded by large jagged spicules that the calicles are 

 almost concealed. One species is brown and about an inch 

 high, and the other is brilliant scarlet and somew^hat smaller. 



The difference between this assemblage of Alcyonaria from 

 the pentacrinus ground and those from shallow water in the 

 same general region, is probably as great as would be found 

 in specimens from the polar and tropical seas, and forcibly 

 illustrates the revelations that await us when investigations are 

 undertaken in the science of bathymetrical distribution of 

 animals, a science which bids fair to be as productive of 

 suggestive facts as is that of geographical distribution, as 

 lirst conceived and elaborated b}' Alfred Russell Wallace. 



One or more species of Antipat/ies. was collected here, all 

 being of the branching" type. They were at first taken for 

 plumularian hydroids, to which they bear considerable super- 

 ficial resemblance. 



In this locality about twenty-one species of hydroids were 

 dredged from depths averaging from one hundred to two 

 hundred and tiftv fathoms. Of the eight campanularians, 

 iive appear to be new. The heretofore described species are 

 Obclia uiari^iiiala, T/iyi'osryp/iiis rajiiosus, and Cryptolaria 

 /ronfcrla. Two parasitic campanularians were secured, one 

 being characterized b\' a more robust calicle than its nearest 



