MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 149 



S. Africana. This species was found at sea from Cape Hatteras as far 

 north as the eastern extremity of George's Shoal. 



Among the Acalephs, the most interesting form was a species of Do- 

 decabostricha, Br., the largest specimen measuring no less than nine 

 inches in height. Several specimens of a dark violet (claret-color) were 

 brought up in the trawl, and it is very probable from the systematic affin- 

 ities of this Medusa that, like its allies, the Rhizostomae, it lives on the 

 bottom, rarely coming to the surface. For the genus Dodecabostricha 

 Professor Agassiz established a new family, the Brandtidse, and placed it 

 in the vicinit}^ of the Charibdeidse. While it undoubtedly has a general 

 resemblance to the Charibdeidas, the structure of the genital pouches 

 and of the lobes of the actinostome shows that it is intermediate between 

 the Aurelise and the Rhizostomse proper, combining at the same time 

 structural features only found in the Pelagise. It is not known where 

 Mertens found the species which is figured in Brandt's memoir. As 

 we trawled mainly on mud or clay bottoms, but few Hydroids were col- 

 lected. 



All along the course of the stream we found large quantities of Tri- 

 chodesmium erythrssum. On one occasion, north of Hatteras, we passed 

 through an extensive patch of this pelagic Alga, which colored' the 

 surface of the sea a dirty yellow for a distance of about a quarter of a 

 mile by a hundred yards in width. 



Among the corals a fine species of Flabellum, probably the Flabellum 

 alabastrum, Mos., and a few species characteristic of the West India seas 

 and of the Gulf of Mexico were found to extend as far north as Cape 

 Hatteras. There were a number of Pennatulse and Virgularise collected, 

 probably the same species already described by Professor Verrill from the 

 collections made by the United States Fish Commission, as well as a few 

 Gorgonise, among which I may mention numerous specimens of Kera- 

 toisis. The Pennatulse and Gorgonise were all remarkable for their bril- 

 liant bluish phosphorescence, a single Pennatula lighting up a large tub 

 of water. A couple of species of Zoanthus were found in deep water. 

 Among the Actinias large specimens of Bunodes and of Edwardsise came 

 up from depths of from 600 to 800 fathoms. 



Among the Echinoderms all the way from Cape Hatteras to the ex- 

 tremity of George's Shoal, Ophiomusium Lymani were quite common 

 in deep water. Echinus norvegicus is abundant, and Schizaster fragi- 

 lis extends from deep water inside the 100-fathom line. A species of 

 Asthenosoma and one of Phormosoma were also found in deep water, 

 having the same general distribution as Ophiomusium. A fine species 



