556 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xXSiv. 



/Spicules. — Long, very large, warty spindles, longitudinally placed 

 in the walls of the stem, branches and calyces. The latter are quite 

 large, and distinctly overtop the polyps, the spicules arising in two or 

 more bundles on the outer side of the calyx wall. There is a strongly 

 marked collar of spicules below the tentacle bases. Above the collar 

 are large spicules sometimes arranged eii chevron, sometimes without 

 apparent regularity, that form a pseudo operculum. The tentacles 

 bear on their dorsal surface a double row of small transverse spicules. 

 Largest spicules in calyx wall 2^ mm. long. 



Color. — Very pale, almost white in alcohol. There is no reddish 

 tinge whatever. ^ 



Distribution. — North coast of the island of Maui; Station 4101, 

 122-143 fathoms (type, Cat. No. 25361, U.S.N.M.) ; Station 4098, 

 95-152 fathoms (Cat. No. 22544, U.S.N.M.). 



This species belongs to the " Divaricatse ", group of Spongodes. In 

 one specimen from Station 4098 the spicules of the pseudo operculum 

 are bright crimson in color, but there appears to be no other impor- 

 tant difference between this specimen and the others. 



The sj)ecies is named after Mr. A. B. Alexander, Fisheries Expert 

 on the Albatross during the Hawaiian cruise. 



Genus SIPHONOGORGIA Kolliker. 



Walls between stem canals with numerous spicules. Colony 

 branched, externally resembling a gorgonian. Coenenchyma abun- 

 dant in walls of canals and filled with large spicules. Tentacles 

 retractile. 



SIPHONOGORGIA COLLARIS, new species. 

 Plate XLI, fig. 4. 



Only a fragment of this species was secured, consisting of the ter- 

 minal portion of a thick branch, 6 mm. wide by 13 mm. long. The 

 canals are numerous and irregular, with long spindle-shaped spicules 

 and also minute spindles in their walls. The polyps are thickly 

 clustered over the entire surface, reminding one of the end of a 

 branch of Acropora muricata forma prolifera. 



The calyces are prominent, 3| mm. high by 1^ mm. in diameter 

 at the middle, tubular, narrowing gradually at the distal end. The 

 whole surface is packed with quite large, stout, warty spicules ar- 

 ranged longitudinally both in the coenenchyma and calycular walls. 

 In the latter there is a distinct circlet of rather slender but large 

 spicules, below which the spicules are stouter and sonletimes resemble 

 imbricating scales. 



The polyps have a thick collar of curved transverse spicules which 

 is much wider and more conspicuous than usual. Above the collar and 



