28 



The terminal twigs are curved, slender, round in section and average about 1.5 mm. 

 in diameter and about 9 mm. apart. The calyces are sparsely distributed on the main stem 

 and branches and rather regularly distributed on all sides of the branchlets and twigs, although 

 there is a strong tendency to a lateral arrangement on distal twigs. 



The individual calyces are conical or dome-shaped, a typical one measuring i mm. in 

 height and 1.3 mm. in diameter. The walls are filled with oval, densely tuberculate spicules 

 and the margin bears eight rather definitely marked lobes. The polyps are completely retractile 

 and the tentacles are heavily armed with spindles which are arranged en chevron on the 

 basal parts and in broad longitudinal bands on distal parts. 



Spicules. The superficial spicules of the coenenchyma are oval, very densely tuber- 

 culate forms, the real surfaces being concealed by the crowding of the tubercles. Under these 

 are typical terete spindles with crowded verrucae, usually not in very definite whorls. True girdled 

 spindles seem to be wanting. The spicules of the axis are of the form typical of this genus. 



Color. The colony is deep red or crimson throughout, and the polyps are yellow. 



General distribution. Type locality. Ceylon Sea. 



This handsome species is quite different in habit from any other of the genus in the 

 collection. 



5. Suberogorgia appressa new species. (Plate V, figs, i, \a\ Plate XI, fig. 7). 



Stat. 71. Makassar and surroundings. Up to 32 meters. Mud, sand with mud, coral. 



Stat. 273. Anchorage off Pulu Jedan, East coast of Aru Islands. 13 meters. Sand and shells. 



Colony flabellate, not reticulate. The stem and basal parts of main branches laterally 

 compressed, other branches flattened. There are sharply defined grooves or furrows on anterior 

 and posterior faces of all branches. The specimen is 46 cm. high and has a spread of about 

 50 cm. The main stem forks 4.2 cm. above its base and is very strongly laterally compressed, 

 having a cross section of 2.3 cm. X 1.2 cm. The two main branches are directed outward and 

 then curve upward and their basal parts are very strongly laterally compressed, further out 

 they become round and their distal portions are flattened. They are irregularly enlarged in 

 places, the enlargements being due to symbiotic barnacles. The main branches give off a few 

 short branchlets from their lower sides and a number of branchlets, both simple and compound, 

 from their upper sides; and these give off lateral branchlets until branchings of the 6 th order 

 are attained. The distance between branches, as well as their arrangement, is very irregular. 

 The calyces are distributed in irregular patches on the surface of the main stem and branches, 

 but are nearly all lateral on the distal parts of the colony. 



The individual calyces are quite low verrucae on proximal parts (although more prominent 

 on the enlargements due to barnacles), but are entirely included on the distal parts, where 

 they fade so insensibly into the general ccenenchyma that their size can not be determined. 

 Their openings are surrounded by eight lobes which are separated by sharp, slit-like radiating 

 incisions, quite different from other species that I have seen. The polyps are completely 



