20 



Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-1918 



The specimen described above and figured by me, from Hudson bay, 

 seems to agree best with the typical form from off Newfoundland in 290 meters. 

 I have not seen many specimens from the Fishing Banks. It is known from 

 Baffin bay, 358 meters; Davis sound, 61 meters ; Greenland, 70 to 738 meters. 

 It has a wide distribution in the Arctic ocean, and is probably circumpolar. 

 It is common in the Kara sea. In depth it ranges from 10 to 1,300 fathoms. 



Gersemia mirabilis (Dan.) Molander. 



Vceringia mirabilis DANIELSSEN, op. cit., pp. 1-8, pi. I, figs. 1-40; pi. II, figs. 



1-2, 1887. 



Voeringia arborea JUNGERSEN, op. cit., p. 375, pi. XXXIII, figs. 1-12, 1887. 

 Eunephthya mirabili* KUKENTHAL, op. cit., p. 345, 1907; Alcyon. Sibir. Eism., 



p. 5, 1909. 



Eunephthya fruticosa JUNGERSEN (pars), op. cit., p. 11, 1916. 

 Gersemia mirabilis MOLANDER, op. cit., p. 48, text cut 12, p. 69, pi. I, fig. 10, 



1915. 



Plate V; Fig. 5 (spicules). Text Fig. 4. 



This is a large luxuriant species (or variety) closely related to G. fruticosa, 

 to which Jungersen, in his later works, has united it. But Kukenthal and 

 Molander, who have apparently had abundant materials, have .kept it separate. 

 It is a common form n'ear or on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, where it 

 sometimes becomes 150 to 200 mm. high. 



Its spiculation is distinctly unlike that of varieties of G. fruticosa that I 

 have seen. Therefore I am led to keep it distinct, for our numerous specimens 

 are not now available for reexamination. It has a large stout trunk, when 

 well grown, which branches arborescently from near the base, giving off large 

 branches with naked stalks; these in turn give off secondary and often tertiary 

 branchlets, which bear clusters of few or numerous elongated polyps, both 

 laterally and terminally. These seem incapable of complete retraction. The 

 anthocodia and the more or less curled up tentacles remaining exposed in alcoholic 

 specimens. Perhaps the immature polyps may retract. 



Fig. 4. Gersemia mirabilis (Dan). Type. A terminal cluster of polyps, enlarged. After Danielssen. 



The anthocodia is commonly smaller than the proximal part of the polyp- 

 body, in alcoholic specimens, but the reverse is often seen. The proximal part 

 is often swollen or inflated. The division between the two regions is not notable. 



