NO. 1923. DESCRIPTIONS OF PACIFIC ALCYONARIA— NUTTING. 27 



are 33 pairs of leaves, and their ventral edges are straight, one of the 

 longest having this edge 3 cm. long. The polypiferous border is not 

 nearly so extensively convoluted as in P. quadrangvZaris or Leioptilum^ 

 undulatum, and is about 6 cm. long and rather regularly curved from 

 the ventral end to where it joins the rachis dorsally. 



The calyces are in two or three rows on the borders of the leaves. 

 They are small, usually with two opposite marginal points or teeth. In 

 places there appears to be but one wavy row of calyces. The marginal 

 teeth are filled with needle-like spicules, and these descend in bands 

 above the partitions between the leaf chambers that are the continua- 

 tions of the body cavities of the polyps. These spicules are not con- 

 fined to a narrow band immediately below the polypiferous border, 

 but are thinly and irregularly scattered along the partitions clear to 

 the base of the leaf. The calyces measure about 2 mm. in height, 

 along the side of the edge of the leaf, and are less than 1 mm. in diam- 

 eter. They are closely appressed to each other along the border, leav- 

 ing but their margins elevated above the surface. 



The polyps are small, white, and appear to be without spicules. 



The zooids are in two very broad turgid bands along the entire 

 length of the rachis, with a narrow median furrow between them, much 

 narrower than in P. guadrangularis. Unlike that species, the zooids 

 in the present form extend around between the leaves to the termi- 

 nation of the latter on the ventral surface, entirely covering the spaces 

 between the leaves. The zooids are minute rounded points emplanted 

 thickly, but not contiguous. Each is surrounded by a fence of spicules. 



The spicules are small, smooth, sharp needles, characteristic of the 

 family. 



Color: The colony is light brownish-yellow. The polypiferous bor- 

 ders of leaves and end of stem somewhat darker. Leaves translucent. 



XomZ-i^ies.— Station 4807; CapeTsiuka, S. 58° W., 10.3 miles; 44-47 

 fathoms. Station 4808; CapeTsiuka,S.61°W., 10.6 miles; 47 fathoms. 

 Station 4876; Oki Shima, S. 29° W., 5.3 miles; 59 fathoms (type). 



Type-specimen. — Cat. No. 30013, U.S.N.M. 



Genus PENNATULA Linnaeus. 



The rachis bears zooids on the ventral side only. Spicules scattered 

 over the entire surface, not being confined to the leaf borders. 



PENNATULA ACULEATA Danielssen. 

 Pennatula aculeata Danielssen, Forh. Vid. Sel. Christiania, 1858, p. 25. 



A few small specimens from station 4766 are referred with some 

 doubt to this widely distributed and variable species. They may be 

 young colonies. 



Length of colony 7.1 cm. ; stem 3.4 cm. The stem swelling is long, 

 occupying 1.7 cm. The leaves are in 12 pairs, directed forward, 



