HO. 1624. DESCRIPTIONS OF HA WAIIAN ALCYONARIA— NUTTING. 593 



branches; 4 mm. high, 2^ mm. broad across crown of spines. Basal 

 part of polyps rather broad, the calyces expanding above into eight 

 broad conspicuous spines composed of spicules longitudinally ar- 

 ranged, and pointing radially outward and upward, so that the whole 

 affair has a pronounced stellate outline when viewed from above. 



Spicules usuall}^ smooth, without verrucas, but often with lobular 

 processes. On the bases of the polyps they are obliquely arranged; 

 higher up they are transverse, there being two horizontal series be- 

 tween the ridges under the tentacle bases, forming a concave surface 

 to which the spicules conform. Just above and inside of each of 

 the spines referred to above, a band of imbricating squamiform spic- 

 ules in several indefinite rows passes along the dorsal surface of 

 each infolded tentacle. The cortex contains an outer layer of long 

 terete spicules, and an inner layer of smaller, scale-like forms. 



The color of the entire colony is a brilliant golden yellow when 

 fresh. The exposed surface of the axis shows a particularly bril- 

 liant golden luster, like highly burnished gold. 



Ttjpe.—C2it. No. 25380, U.S.N.M., Albatross Station 3826, south 

 coast of Molokai, 371 fathoms. 



Additional locality. — Between Molokai and Oahu : Station 4107, 

 355 fathoms. 



This species is near Chrysogorgia octagonus Versluys « but the 

 branching is much more profuse, the angles at tentacle bases are 

 acute, and the arrangement of body spicules different. 



Genus METALLOGORGIA Versluys. 



Branches irregular, distant or absent in proximal part of the 

 colony ; on distal part they form a pannicle. Stem monopodial. 



METALLOGORGIA MELANOTRICHOS (Wright andStuder). 

 Plate LI, fig. 5. 



Dasygorgia melanotrichos Weight and Studer, Eeport on the Alcyonaria 

 collected by H. M S. Cliallenger during the years 1S73-1S76, 1889, p. 15. 



Several fine specimens of this species were secured during the Ha- 

 waiian cruise. One of these from Station 4018 had a smooth un- 

 branch'ed stem 32 inches (80 cm.) long, surmounted by a graceful 

 j)annicle or crown of branches. 



Distribution.— Ofl Kauai Island: Station 4018, 724-804 fathoms. 



Near Kauai Island: Station 4016, 305-318 fathoms (Cat. No. 25367, 

 U.S.N.M.). 



Off Bird Island: Station 4157, 100-762 f-athoms (Cat. No. 25384, 

 U.S.N.M.). 



« Die Gorgoniden der Siboga-Expedition, I, Die Chrysogorgiidie, 1002, p. 65. 



