NO. 1658. ALCYONARIA OP THE CALIFORNTAN COAST— XUTTIXG. 7^1 



Albatross off the coast of California. The variation in size of colonies 

 and length and number of polyps is very great. The longest colony 

 is nearly 2 feet in length, while one of the shorter ones is only 11 

 inches. This latter is in very good state of preservation and seems 

 quite typical, except, perhaps, in length. 



The bulb is 13 mm. long; while the swelling above it is 25 mm. 

 long. The stem is quadrangular in section. 



The polyps are 11 in number. The body to base of tentacles is 

 23 mm. long, cylindrical and tapering very gradually above. Great- 

 est diameter 4 mm., least diameter 2.5 mm. Tentacles, in alcohol, 

 18 mm. long. The body walls are transversely rugose and longitu- 

 dinally marked by the mesenteries. 



The swelling of the rachis below the polyps tapers gradually until 

 it merges with the stem 23 mm. below the polyps. 



The zooids cover the entire surface of the rachis below the polyps, 

 except on small V-shaped bare spaces below the polyp bases. There 

 is also a definite patch of zooids in the center of the disk, encircled 

 by the polyps. The zooids are provided with single, finger-like 

 tentacles. 



The spicules are apparently wanting. 



Color. — The polyps are umber brown, the tentacles being more 

 reddish. The stem is light brown, often darkening at the bulb and 

 swelling. 



Distrihufion.—StSition 4399, 32° 44' 50" N., 117° 48' 45" W., 245 

 fathoms; Station 4407, SE. Point Santa Catalina Island N. 19° 30' E. 

 3.2 miles, 334 fathoms; Station 4415, NE. Point Santa Barbara 

 Island N. 89° W. 4.7 miles, 438 fathoms; Station 4423, E. Point San 

 Nicholas Island S. 7.6 miles, 339-216 fathoms. 



Studer considers that this species is identical with Umbellula 

 encrinus (Linnaeus), and if he is correct in following Grieg '^ in this 

 matter^ the distribution of the species should be extended to the 

 North Atlantic, and should include Station 3410, latitude 0° 10' N., 

 longitude 90° 34' W., 331 fathoms. 



The type was secured by the Challenger from south of Tokyo, 

 Japan, from a depth of 565 fathoms. 



UMBELLULA HUXLEYI Kolliker. 



Umbellula huxleyi Kolliker, Report Pennatulida, Challenger Exp., 1880, p. 21. 



A specimen from Station 4400 agrees very well with Kolliker's 

 description, except that the polyps are not distinctly corrugated, 

 and that the tentacles of the zooids are well developed. 



Distribution.— St&tion 4400, 32° 50' 20" N., 118° 03' 30" W., 500 

 fathoms. 



« Oversigt over Norges pennatulider, Bergens Museum Aarsberetning, 1891, No. 1, 

 p. 18. 

 6 Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., XXV, No. 5, 1894, p. 57. 



