NO. 1923. DESCRIPTIONS OF PACIFIC ALCYONARI A— NUTTING. 77 



chyma, which are often terete forms, closely tuberculated. Small 

 irregular spicules with expanded bases are sometimes seen. Very 

 rarely they are branched. 



Color: The colony is dull yellowish-brown, and the spicules are 

 colorless. 



Localities.— Stsition 4781; lat. 52° 14' 30" N.; long. 174° 13' E.; 

 482 fathoms (type). ? Station 4895; Ose Saki Light, N. 42° E., 4.7 

 miles ; 95 fathoms. 



Type-specimen.— Cat. No. 30046, U.S.N.M. 



In general appearance this species resembles the genus Anthogorgia, 

 but differs notably from that genus in the arrangement of the oper- 

 cular spindles and in the size of the spicules in general. A specimen 

 from station 4895 appears %o belong to this species, but the calyces are 

 much smaller, as if shrunken. 



MURICEIDES NIGRA, new species. 

 Plate 12, figs. 1, la; plate 20, fig. 4. 



Colony flabellate, resembling Muricea or Plexaura in general appear- 

 ance, 17.5 cm. in height and with a spread of 9 cm. The stem is short, 

 and is 6.5 mm. in diameter. A branch is given off 1.7 mm. from its 

 base, and this again branches, throwing off several lateral branchlets, 

 some of which are again divided; 6.6 cm. from its base the stem again 

 divides into two subequal parts each of which bears several lateral 

 branchlets which are directed upward, as in Plexaura. The calyces 

 are rather regularly distributed on all sides of the stem and branches 

 without, however, showing any definite order. They are about 2 mm. 

 apart on distal parts of the colony and more widely separated on the 

 proximal parts. 



The individual calyces are tubular, a typical one measuring 3 mm. 

 to its margin, and it has a diameter of 2 mm. Many, however, are 

 much shorter. The walls are filled with quite small spindles, irregu- 

 larly arranged, but with a strong tendency toward a vertical position. 

 The spicules are smaller than in M. cylindrica. The polyps are only 

 partially retractile, resting with their collarets above the margins. 

 The collaret is well marked, with 2 to 4 rows of spicules encircling the 

 polyp just below the tentacle bases. The operculum is dome-shaped, 

 moderately high, composed of spicules arranged en chevron on tentacle 

 bases, and others forming longitudinal bands of 3 or 4 spicules in 

 width on the distal parts of the tentacles. The coenenchyma bears 

 small spindles arranged longitudinally. 



Spicules : These are mostly spindles which are minute for this 

 family, rather closely tuberculated. There are also a few small, irreg- 

 ular tuberculate forms. 



Color: The colony (in alcohol) is very dark brown, almost black. 

 The black color is most unusual among the Gorgonacea. This may, 



