510 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [8] 



new genus, if not also a new family, was taken once, in 1883, in 843 

 fathoms, but two better specimens were taken, in 1884, in 991 and 1,073 

 fathoms. This I have named Benthoptilwn sertum (fig. 4). It has the 

 general form of a large Pemiatula, with short, thick, fleshy, oblique pin- 

 nse, from which spring several rows of numerous large and very long, 

 soft, fleshy polyps, without calicles and without spicula, each group 

 forming a boquet-like cluster of flower-like polyps, which in life are 

 blood-red. 



The singular club-shaped genus, Kophobelemnon, was represented by 

 two species. One of these, which was undescribed (.5". tenue V., fig, 5), 

 is long, slender, and smooth, with a number of large polyps. It was taken 

 in 499 to 2,369 fathoms, and in considerable numbers in some localities. 

 The other and smaller rough species {K. scabrum V.) was previously 

 known from a single specimen taken by the " Blake " in 1880. It occurred 

 in 788 fathoms, but was taken more abundantly in 1884. A handsome 

 new species, from 6 inches to a foot high, and slender, with many spicu- 

 lose flower-like polyps in a row along each side on the upper half, was 

 dredged in many localities by the "Albatross" in 1,467 to 2,369 fathoms. 

 It belongs to the genus Scleroptilum {S. elegans V., fig. 6). This genus 

 was previously known only from a related species taken off Japan by the 

 "Challenger." Many of our specimens had a new species of Ophiuran 

 {Hemieuryale tenuispina V., fig. 55) clinging closely to them, with its long, 

 slender arms, which are provided with rough-tipped spines, closely coiled 

 around the coral, which, like its commensal, is bright orange in color. 



This Ophiuran is similar in habits to the Astrophytons, but, unlike most 

 of the latter, the arms do not branch. All of this family habitually 

 live clinging to Alcyonaria of various kinds, and generally agree in 

 a most remarkable manner in color, and frequently, also, in the rough 

 ornamentation of the surface, with the branches of the gorgonians to 

 which they cling. This indicates a protective adaptation, both of 

 color, form, and ornamentation, running through a large group, and in- 

 habiting all the oceans, both in shallow and deep water. Two simple- 

 armed species of this group, with similar habits, were also taken by us, 

 one of which {Astronyx Loveni) lives clinging to several slender Penna- 

 tulacea, including DisticliopUlum gracile Y., Anthoptilum grandiflorum 

 v., and A. Murrayi K. Another {Astrochele Lymani V., fig. 53) lives in 

 large numbers on the bushy gorgonian coral, Acanella Wormatii V., 

 with which it agrees in its orange or salmon-color. The two species of 

 AntJiopUlum referred to grow in long, stout, wand-like forms, with nu- 

 merous large, naked, flower-like polyps in oblique rows. A. grandi- 

 florum is much the larger, growing over 2 feet high and an inch in diam- 

 eter, with many hundreds of polyps. It was dredged in 302 to 1,106 

 fathoms, but was first described by me in 1879 from many large speci- 

 mens brought in by the Gloucester halibut fishermen from off Nova Sco- 

 tia, on the deep-water banks. It was afterward described by Kolliker 

 under a new name {A. Thomsoni) from specimens dredged b^ the " Glial- 



