De&p-sea and Shalloiv-ioater Hydrozoa. 15 



Locality, flaratonga? B.M. 



Two specimens of this handsome species were presented to 

 the national collection by Prof. Flower. 



A marked feature of this species is the strikingly rich 

 coloration, which is continued even to the tips of the coenos- 

 teum, except where fresh growth, consequent on fracture, 

 has commenced. This character, with the special structure of 

 its ccenenchyma and of its cyclosystems, will readily serve 

 to distinguish it from all other species. Special attention 

 must be called to the decided resemblance which obtains 

 between the forms of the dactylopores in this species and in 

 those of the genus Errina. 



Distichopora conferta^ n. sp. (PI. I. fig. 3.) 



Coenosteum forming an intricately and crowdedly branched 

 fastigiate clump, in which the branchlets on the separate 

 branches are arranged in a more or less flabellate manner ; 

 of a delicate carmine-red colour, with whitish tips. Branches 

 much divided, short, very slender and round, slightly com- 

 pressed at the extreme base, and very seldom coalescent ; 

 branchlets very small, round, obtuse, about I'O millim. thick 

 at the apex, which is slightly expanded wliere division is 

 taking place. Ccenenchyma dense, the surface strongly 

 granulated, marked throughout by small, crowded, conical 

 eminences, between which are minute scattered pores. 

 Cyclosystems regularly arranged on opposite sides in conti- 

 nuous rows, seldom forming furrows, except at the extreme 

 apical points, since the partitions between the gastropores 

 are usually level with the general surface. Gastropores 

 rather large, seldom circular, more often slightly elongated in 

 the direction of the rows, usually with a very irregular 

 outline and rather prominent septa-like internal projections, 

 as though in process of division, unequal and unequally 

 separated, except at the apical parts, where the partitions are 

 very narrow; style very deeply placed, thin and finely 

 hirsute ; in section the gastro-canal is found to be papillose. 

 Dactylopores quite minute, irregular, unequally placed, 

 elongated slightly in a transverse direction, nearly even with 

 the surface, except at the extremities, where they are rather 

 elevated and tubular. Ampullse (apparently female) abun- 

 dant, scattered or grouped, forming rounded eminences nearly 

 1 millim. in diameter, marked by straight radial ridges, 

 generally from 5 to 8, which pass from the centre of the 

 ampulla to the outer border, where a circle of rather large 



