26 



side is less thickly emplanted with calyces than the other and there is a distinct tendency 

 toward a bare band on either side of the groove. The calyces are thus on three sides of the 

 stem, where they often tend to a spiral arrangement, there being usually four calyces in each 

 oblique row from the impressed line on one side around to the one on the other. On the 

 distal part of the colony there are two opposite grooves, each in the centre of a distinct band 

 devoid of calyces. Here there is a double row of calyces on each side. Another fragment in 

 the same bottle appears to be the distal end of the branch just described. It is 32 cm. long. 

 It is therefore probable that this colony was originally 76.5 cm. long, tapering to a very 

 fine, slender end. 



The individual calyces are subconical or rather truncated cones, rather low and broad. 

 A typical one measures i mm. in height and 1.9 mm. in diameter at the base. The tenta- 

 cles bear spicules, mostly double spindles, thickly encrusted over their basal portions. 



Spicules. These are almost exclusively double heads and girdled spindles (double 

 spindles?) They are all densely tuberculate. Heavy fusiform spicules are formed when the 

 depressed girdles are obliterated by the invasion of tubercles. The double heads and girdled 

 spindles intergrade in every possible degree. Regular spindles, such as are common in S. rubra, 

 are almost never seen. Small crosses formed of four tuberculate heads joined by a cross- 

 shaped smoother part, are rather common, the four heads being so close as to be often con- 

 tiguous. I find no clubs. 



Color. The colony is light grayish brown throughout, with a tinge of olive. 



General distribution. Type locality. Off New Hebrides. 130 fathoms. 



A young specimen from station 289 is 22.5 cm. long, very slender, with a length 

 of 9 mm. without calyces, and 15 mm. with calyces. The calyces are lateral and regularly 

 alternate, averaging about 2.3 mm. apart. In form they are low cones with rounded summits 

 which are directed outward. The spicules are as in the specimen described above. Another 

 specimen from the same station has lateral calyces which appear much more prominent on 

 account of the partial expansion of the polyps. It also shows a faint median impressed line. 

 A specimen taken from station 208, depth 1886 meters agrees quite well with young speci- 

 mens from station 260 (90 meters) and 204 (94 meters). 



It is altogether likely that some of -the so-called species of this genus that have been 

 described as specifically distinct and are listed on page 24 are based on young specimens 

 of this form. 



3. Scirpearella regia new species. (Plate VIII, figs, i, ia- Plate X, fig. 5). 

 Stat. 172. Gisser; anchorage between this Island and Ceram-Laut. 18 meters. 



Colony (dried) an enormous bushy mass profusely branched in a dichotomous manner, 

 1 34 cm. in height. The base is a rudely hemispherical mass embracing corallines, wormtubes 

 etc., 19 cm. in diameter and 8 cm. high. The stem is 2.1 cm. in diameter at its base, bears 



