98 PROGEEDIUGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.43. 



SCIRPEARELLA GRACILIS Wright and Studer. 



Scirpearella gracilis Wright and Studer, Challenger Reports, the Alcyonaria, 

 1889, p. 156. 



Colony incomplete, unbranched. Axis stony, round, 1.9 mm. in 

 diameter. The specimen is 29 cm. long, with a basal diameter of 3 

 mm. and a distal diameter of 2 mm. 



The calyces are in four rows or two pairs of rows, those of each row 

 of a pair alternating with those of the other row of that pair. Indi- 

 vidual calyces low conical verrucse with the point inclined toward 

 distal end of the colony, 0.9 mm. in diameter at base and 1 mm. high. 

 The walls are filled with minute spicules most of which are warty double 

 heads. The polyps are retractile, and the dorsal surface of the ten- 

 tacles is packed with small well tuberculated spindles longitudinally 

 arranged. 



The spicules are all small, most of them being densely tuberculate 

 double heads or spiny spindles with a distinct depression around the 

 middle. There are also a number of small crosses and a very few 

 minute ordinary spindles. 



Color: The colony is very light grayish with a pinkish tinge. 



ZocaZ^.— Station 4893; OseSakiLight,N.29°E., 5.5 miles; 106-95 

 fathoms. 



General distribution. — The type-locality is off the New Hebrides, 130 

 fathoms. The species is also widely distributed in the Indian Ocean, 

 Dutch East Indies, etc. 



SCIRPEARELLA RUBRA Wright and Studer. 



Sdrpearella rubra Wright and Studer, Challenger Reports, the Alcyonaria, 1889, 

 p. 107. 



A single fragment 13.2 cm. long was secured. The calyces are more 

 nearly tubular than in the last species, nearly 2 mm. high and 1.8 mm. 

 wide at base. The margin shows 8 shallow lobes or corrugations. 

 The spicules are much as in the last species, but the girdle around 

 their middle is less conspicuous and often obliterated. A few of the 

 polyps are much larger than the others, sometimes measuring 2.5 mm. 

 high and 3.7 mm. in diameter at the base. On one of these being 

 opened the body cavity was seen to be filled with an oval mass whose 

 nature was not ascertained. 



Zoca^^^y.— Station 4893; Ose Saki Light, N. 29° E., 5.5 miles; 106-95 

 fathoms. 



General distrilution. — The type-locality is on the Hyalonema 

 Grounds, off elapan, 345 fathoms. It is also found in the Dutch East 

 Indies (Nutting). 



Suborder SCLERAXONIA. 



Gorgonacea with an axis cylinder composed of calcareous spicules, 

 fused or free, immersed in a more or less fleshy matrix. 



