V. '07. 17 



to the main stem, and lie in one plane as described by Wright 

 and Studer (1889) and Thomson and Henderson (1906). Some 

 of the polyp spicules are slightly longer and stouter than those 

 in the type specimen. Several small and slender colonies, 

 more or less broken, were also taken. Two of these rise from 

 their expanded basal attachment to a height of 48 mm. and 

 3t mm. respectively. In these small specimens the branch- 

 ing is not so cleai^ in one plane as in the large colony. 



This species h|i been previously recorded twice/ Frag- 

 ments of a specimen were taken by the Challenger off the 

 Island of Ascension, at 420 fms., and a portion of a colony by 

 the Investigator in the Andaman Sea, at 238-290 fms. 



ORDER PENNATU LA CE A. 



FAMILY PENNATULIDAE. 



Fennatula aculeata, Koreii and Danielssen. 



S.K. 353. Lat., N., 50 37' 50 40'; Long., W., 11 32'; 

 250-542 fms. ; bottom temperature, 8'58 C. ; 6th 

 August, 1906. One broken specimen. 



S.K. 405. 15J mi. W. by S.J S. of Tearaght Eock ; Lat., 

 N., 51 56'; Long., W., 11 0'; 84 fms.; bottom 

 temperature, 9'79 C. ; 8th February, 1907. One 

 specimen. 



S.K, 491. Lat., N., 51 57' 30" ; Long., W., 12 13'; 491- 

 520 fms. ; bottom temperature, 8 '53 C. ; 7th Sep- 

 tember, 1907. One specimen. 



S.K. 493. Lat., N., 51 58'; Long., W., 12 25'; 533-570 

 fms. ; 8th September, 1907. Three specimens. 



S.K. 494. Lat., N., 51 59'; Long., W., 12 32'; 550-570 

 fms. ; 8th September, 1907. Eleven specimens. 



This is the first time that Pennatula aculeata has been re- 

 corded within the Irish area. The specimens vary in length 

 from 28 mm. to 215 mm. All the longest and finest specimens 

 were dredged in 550-570 fms. 



Pennatula aculeata has been found in many parts of the 

 North Atlantic, off both its eastern and western shores. 



Pennatula bellissima, Fowler. 



S.R. 493. -Lat., N., 51 58'; Long., W., 12 25'; 533-570 

 fms. ; 8th September, 1907. 



A small specimen belonging to this species \vas obtained, 

 which measures 115 mm. in length. 



The species was described (Fowler, 1888) from one speci- 

 men taken off the Bahama Islands. In the Irish specimen, 



c 



