57-2 TROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxiv. 



bar-like ones placed haphazard, as it were, on the tentacle bases, 

 giving an exceedingly unkempt appearance. Small bar-like spicules 

 are placed transversely on the distal parts of the tentacles. 



Color. — Polyps straw yellow, stem ivory white, horny internodes 

 very dark brown. 



Type.— Cat. No. 22559, U.S.N.M., Albatross Station 4174, off Bird 

 Island, 735-865 fathoms. 



Genus LEPIDISIS Verrill. 



Axis with long tubular calcareous joints, alternating with short 

 horny ones from which the branches arise. An external layer of small 

 scale-like spicules is found covering the large fusiform spicules. 



LEPIDISIS LONGIFLORA Verrill. 



Lepidisis longiflora Vekrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZooL, XI, No. 1, 1883, p. 19. 



A specimen taken by the Albatross, northwest coast of Oahu, at 

 Station 4121, 316-251 fathoms (Cat. No. 25358, U.S.N.M.), agrees 

 with the original description of this species. 



The tj^pe and other specimens studied by Verrill were taken from 

 four stations in the AVest Indies, at depths of from 461 to 805 fathoms. 



Genus ACANELLA Gray (emended by Verrill). 



Branches arising from the short horny internodes of the axis cylin- 

 der, spicules numerous in tentacles. No external layer of scale-like 

 spicules. 



ACANELLA EBURNEA (Pourtales). 



Mopsea eburnea Pourtales, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., I, 1868, p. 132. 



A specimen which I refer with doubt to this species was secured at 

 Station 4121, northwest coast of Oahu, 216-251 fathoms. It is much 

 broken, but was probably about 18 inches high. Branching very 

 irregular, with a tendencj^ to the formation of whorls. The polyp 

 spicules were smaller than described by Verrill, but otherwise much 

 the same. 



The specimens studied by Pourtales and Verrill were taken from 

 five stations in the West Indies, at depths of from 288 to 955 fathoms. 



Family PRIMNOID^ Valenciennes (emended by Verrill). 



Colonial forms with calcareous roots. Axis cylinder calcareous or 

 horny, but never with alternating calcareous and horny joints. 

 Calyces prominent, almost always with an operculum composed of 

 eight scale-like spicules, and movable. Polyps often in whorls. 

 Spicules usually scale-like. 



