34 PENNATULIDA. 



(as in Goniactinia, it is only young individuals that divide); the new colonies separated off by the 

 division will soon get so far as also to divide; even the mother-colony itself will soon again be 

 able to throw off the top part, and so on. Secondly, the fact will be explained that in the whole 

 series of development found, no specimen, however small, is provided with terminal polyp and terminal 

 zooid; the smallest colonies may possibly simply be tops of somewhat older colonies recently divided, 

 which older colonies had before divided perhaps more than once. Accordingly, we do not yet know 

 the real primary polyp of this species, nor do we know the appearance of the species in its full-grown 

 state. Whether the finished Pennatula-sha.^ is ever reached must remain doubtful; I think, however, 

 that the largest specimen in hand indicates that some individuals attain this form. This would not 

 be necessary for the sake of the sexiial generation, as a great number of the imperfect colonies have 

 proved to be sexually ripe. 



Occurrence. The Davis Straits; St. 24, 63 6' N. LaL 56 W. Long., (ca. 40 specimens), and 

 St. 36, 61 50' N. Lat. 56 21' W. Long, (upwards of 100 specimens). 



The depths are 1199 fathoms and 1435 fathoms; accordingly, the species seems to be a 

 marked deep-sea form; it has been found together with numerous other deep-sea forms; other 

 Pennatulids found there, were specimens of Distichoptilum gracile, a series of young stages of Kopho- 

 belemnon stelliferum, and a young stage of Umbellula lindahli. 



Fam. Virgularidce Roll., emend. 

 Virgularia Lam. 



Among the peculiar characters of this genus, I shall point out a few which have either not 

 been noticed or only imperfectly: 



1) The polyps are provided with a calyx, the edge of which may be simply circular or 

 furnished with 8 more or less distinct small teeth without spicules; in the former case (for instance 



Virg. mirabilis\ the edge of the calyx is not seen at all, when the polyps are most extended. I need 

 only mention that the calyx here, as elsewhere, means that the hinder part of the polyp-body is rather 

 stiff, so that the fore part with the tentacles may be retracted into it; thus the necessary stiffness is 

 found here in spite of complete want of spicules. 



2) The shaft (the rhachis) may be divided into three regions; (a) that of the developed wings, 

 (b) that of the rudimentary wings, and (c) that of the stalk-zooids. (a) is the longest, upper part of 

 the shaft; the polyps are fully formed, with tentacles etc., but generally contain no sexual products'); 

 (b) may be rather long, and is on either side provided with close-set wings with undeveloped polyps 

 which still want tentacles, but contain sexual organs and ripe sexual products; these wings become 

 smaller below and gradually mere rudiments looking like low transverse ridges, and finally pass into 

 (c); this last region is provided on either side with a single row of small zooids, which I shall call 

 stalk-zooids. Close below these the peduncle or stalk begins; the boundary is generally indicated 



') An exception is found in Virg. a/finis Kor. & Dan. (see Kolliker, Monogr. p. 1981. 



