582 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxiv. 



Calyces low truncated cones. The polyp is greatly constricted just 

 below the collar, and above it the tentacles arise in a perpendicular 

 group, the outline of the mass of tentacles being a truncated oval 

 when viewed laterally. Height of polyp and calyx about 2 mm. 



Spicules, small warty spindles disposed transversely around the 

 bases of the calyces, and in eight double rows arranged en chevron 

 in their walls. Those of the collar are more slender and curved at 

 the ends ; Avhile those of the tentacles are much smaller, more slender, 

 arranged en chevron basally, but distally they are disposed in numer- 

 ous more nearly parallel longitudinal rows. The spicules of the 

 cortex are sometimes scale-like, but are usually stout warty spindles, 

 sometimes very irregular in their disposition, at others longitudinally 

 disposed. 



Color. — Stem and branches, where bare, a dark rich brown ; polyps 

 a much lighter yellowish brown. When dried, the spicules of the 

 cortex give the colony a silvery appearance. 



This is one of the largest and handsomest species in the collection. 



Type.— C^it. No. 25383, U.S.N.M., Albatross Station 4178. Near 

 Niihau Island, 319-378 fathoms. 



GenuG CLEMATISSA Wright and Studer. 



Termination of branch always formed by a polyj). Calyces bluntly 

 conical, arranged in short spirals. Spicules exceedingly varied in 

 shape, those in calyx walls arranged irregularly, those on tentacle 

 bases en chevron. 



CLEMATISSA ALBA, new species. 

 Plate XLIV, fig. 4; plate XLVIII, fig. 4. 



Colony incomplete, about 22 mm. high, consisting of a sinuous 

 stem giving off two largeunequal branches about 50 mm. apart. The 

 branches and main stem are equal in diameter and similar in appear- 

 ance, each ending in an irregular cluster of polyps. The calyces are 

 disposed in an irregular spiral, project at a right angle from the 

 stem and branches, although their distal ends may be inclined either 

 toward the distal or proximal end of the colony; unusually large in 

 size, cylindrical, sometimes attaining a height of 5^ mm. to the top 

 of the operculum, and a diameter of 3 mm. across the top of the 

 calycular wall. The tentacular part of the polyp is abruptly con- 

 stricted from the body, and is quite high ; the basal half of the ten- 

 tacles being held vertically, and the distal half bent abruptly over 

 the oral disc. 



The spicules are warty spindles, sometimes flattened and branched. 

 Those of the calyx walls are proportionally small and inclined in all 



