554 DR. S. J. HICKSON ON 



The zooids are arranged in closely-set but not overlapping 

 whorls. In the thickest branches there are 11 or 12 zooids in 

 each whorl, but they diminish to 5 or 6 in the more slender 

 distal branches. The zooids are about 1 mm. in length by 

 0'5 mm. in diameter, and are closely adpressed to the side of the 

 branch. 



The zooids are protected on the abaxial side by three or four 

 longitudinal rows of overlapping scales, but the axial side is fi'ee 

 from scales except at its distal extremity. The apex of each 

 zooid is protected by a complete circle of triangular opercular 

 scales. 



The large abaxial scales are round or oval in shape, and the 

 outer surface is oi-namented with numerous long spiny tubercles 

 which radiate outwards from a common centre. 



It is the presence of these remarkably long tubercles on 

 the scales that constitutes one of the most important characters 

 of the species. These scales attain a size of 0'3 mm. x 0*23 mm. 

 The triangular opeicular scales are also covered with long 

 tubercles, and their size may be 0-28 mm. in height by 0'2 mm. 

 at the base. 



In addition to the abaxial plates and opercular scales, a pre- 

 paration of the spicules of a zooid reveals a number of smaller 

 scales and irregular tubercular calcareous nodules. The exact 

 position of the latter cannot be determined owing to the density 

 of the plates which cover them, but they probably correspond 

 with the deep-seated warty sclerites described by Versluys (1906, 

 p. 76) in Ccdigorgia ventilahrimi, but far more commonly found 

 in the genera Primnoella and Primnoides. The presence of tbese 

 sclerites constitutes a second important character of the species. 



The new species appea,rs to be most closely related to Gcdigorgia 

 aspera (Kinoshita, 1908, p. 39) from the west coast of Satsuma, 

 Japan, from which it difters in the less profuse branching, in the 

 smaller number of zooids in a whorl, as well as in the lai-ger and 

 more profuse tuberculation of the scales. 



In the method of branching it is more like C. granulosa of the 

 same author (p. 37), bub in this species the scales are much 

 larger. In 0. elegans (Gray), also described by Kinoshita from 

 the coast of Japan (p. 40), the number of zooids in a whorl 

 corresponds more closely with that of the new species, but the 

 tubercles on the scales are much smaller. 



The specimens were taken on the Halibut lines on Albatross 

 and Portlock banks, in the Gulf of Alaska, and are said to be 

 pink when fresh and to be " common." They were collected by 

 Professor A. Willey, F.R.S. 



Family Plexaurid^. 

 PsAMMOGORGiA TERES Verrill. (PI. I. fig. 1 ; Text-fig. 5.) 



Pso,mmogorgia teres Yerrill, Ti-ans. Conn. Acad. vol. i. 1868, 

 p. 416. 



