ALCYONARIA — J A. THOMSON AND DOKIS L. MACKINNON. 151 



Over the branching side of the colony the polyp-bundles form 

 a dense covering. The polyps occur in bundles of about six, in 

 typically " glomerate" arrangement. 



The polyp-stalks are very long, l-5-2'5 nnii. The poiyp-hends 

 are al)Out IS min. and make an angle willi tlieir stalk that may 

 be either a right angle or obtuse. The .Stiitzbiinilel is very weaklv 

 developed ; it consists of about four almost smooth spindles. 



In contrast with the long polyp-stalk the Stiitzbiindel seems 

 quite inconspicuous, and this gives a Slereacanl/iiaAike appear- 

 ance to the polyp. The armature of the polyp consists of eight 

 longitudinal rows of closely apposed pairs of curved spindles: there 

 are about six to eight pairs in a row, of which the uppermost pair 

 is the most strongly developed. One or l)oth of this uppermost 

 pair may project slight!}' above the jiolyp-hoail. Between the 

 adjacent "points" thus formed, a few small spindles lie without 

 regular ariaugeinent. Uidike the spicules of the StUtzljiindel 

 and polyp-stalk, wluch are yeHow-brown smooth spindles with 

 scarcely an}' warts, the spicules of the |)oIyp-head are colourless, 

 bent spindles, with more numerous, rather prominent warts. Tiie 

 following measurements were taken of length and breadth in 

 millimetres: — (1) spicules of polyp-stalk, 1-37 x •08.'); 765 x 

 •035 ; -425 x -017 ; (2) polyp-spicules, -76.5 x -051 ; -544 x -034 ; 

 •34 X -017 ; •255 x 025. There is a median row of very small, 

 transverseij'-disposed spicules along eacli tentacle. 



Tiie s]iiculesof the cortex are, in the upper part of tlie colony 

 directed more or less transversely. The}- are long spindles (2'97 

 x ^17 mm. ; 1^78 x -lO mm.; 5 27 x -34 mm.) with few, small 

 warts. Ill the branches these superficial sjiindles are smaller, 

 and take a longitudinal direction. Below the point where the 

 ring of foliaceous branches comes oft, the character of the cortical 

 spiculation changes. There are still a few spindles, but the 

 great majoi ity of the spicules are small opaque, white stars, tri- 

 and quadri-radiates and irregular spiny forms. '204 x '17 mm. ; 

 •119 X -102 ram. ; 102 x -085 mm. 



In the canal-walls "of the lower part of the colony a few similar 

 star-like spicules are to be found. In the upper readies of the 

 canal-walls no trace of spicules could he found. 



The colour of the stem is browni>h gray with a reddish tinge 

 on the branches ; the roots are dark gray, and the polyps and their 

 stalks are red-brown. 



In certain features this species approaches very closely 

 Dendroneplilhyu maxima, Kiikenthal, particidarly in the 

 form of the long-stalked polyps with their weakly-developed 

 StiitzbUiidel, and in the remarkable smoothne.ss of the cortical 

 spindles. But our species shows laiger polyps, a greater number 

 of spicule pairs in the longitudinal rows on the polyps, and these 

 spicules are not smooth as in D. maxima, nor do they show any 



