^°i89x''] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 167 



to the surface of the mescDtery on wliicli tliey occur a crenate appear- 

 ance in transverse sections (PI. xxiv, Fig. 44). The endoderm of the 

 mesenteries and that of the body wall is of a i^urplish-brown color, paler 

 than the stouiato<licuni, while the mesenterial flhimcnts, in whole or in 

 part, have the same deep wine color which has been described for stoma- 

 toda^um and disc. The mesoj^hea of the reproductive region of the gono- 

 phoric mesenteries is much thickened, as is shown in PL xxiv, Fig. 45. 



Genus ACTINOSTOLA, Yerrill. 



Paractidse usually of large size, with firm, leathery wall, which may 

 be somewhat corrugated or folded, but is not furnished with verrucai. 

 The ]uargin is not lol)cd and is tentaxnilate; the tentacles are short and 

 stout, fluted and with their longitudinal musculature embedded in the 

 mesoglffia. Sphincter well developed, extending a considerable dis- 

 tance down the column wall and not expanding abrui)tly above. 



The genus Actinostola was established by Verrill ('83) for a species 

 wliich he had previously ('82) described as Urtieina caUosa. In his de- 

 scription of the genus he states that the column is "covered with large, 

 irregular tubercles not having the power of adhering to foreign substan- 

 ces," and in the description of the species ('83) he says: "The surface 

 of the column is usually more or less covered with low, irregular, often 

 tlattish verruciP, which become more and more prominent and some- 

 tinies form longitudinal[series or crests on the upper part, but fade out 

 to mere wrinkles toward the base." In specimens of A. callosa., which 

 I have, through the kindm\ss of Mr. liathbun, been able to examine, I 

 could find nothing that could be properly termed verruca', or even 

 tubercles, though the surface of the column wall was more or less cor- 

 rugated, resembling in some specimens beaten silver, and bore irregular 

 ridges of mesoghea near the margin. The Alhotross specimens present 

 the same appearance, though in one case the corrugations are sufficiently 

 strong to give an almost warty ai)pearance to the column. 



Verrill considers the genus Actinostola to be allied to Bolocira, Ur- 

 tieina, and especially to Actinauge. What the genus Urtieina, may 

 embrace remains to be seen, but the other two general mentioned have 

 certainly only very remote affinities with Actinostola, Boloccra being 

 related to the Antheadae, and Actinauge one of the Sagartid genera. 



17. Actinostola callosa, Verrill. 



Plato XXIV, Fig. 46; Plate xxv, Figs. 47-.52. 



Synoiiyiii: — Viticiua callosa, Verrill. 1882. 

 Nos. 714-71.">. Station 2792. Lat. 0" 37' S. ; long. 81- 00' W. l)ei)tli, 101 fathoms. 



I'onr specimens. 

 No. 721. Station 2807. Lat. O'-" 24' S. ; long. 87" 06' W. Depth, 812 fathoms. Two 



specimens. 

 No. 723. Station 2818. Lat. 0^ 29' S. ; long. 89" 54' 30" W. Depth, 392 fathoms. 



One specimen. 



The Albatross specimens denoted above I can not distinguish from 

 Verrill's A. callosa, with authentic specimens of which I have carefully 



