polyps and corals. 191 



Alcyonium, sp. 



A specimen badly preserved, and too imperfect for iden- 

 tification. 



Hong Kong. Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



Alcyonium? 



The corallum consists of rounded, glomerate clusters of 

 large, verruciform polyps, striated at the tops. Color, in 

 alcohol, bright red. 



Sea of Ochotsk. L. M. Squires. 



Sarcophyton agaricum Verrill. 

 Alcyonium agaricum Stimpson, 1. c. page 375. 



This species forms mushroom-shaped disks, which are 

 circular, convex, with entire, revolute margins, and support- 

 ed on a central pedicel about one-third as broad as the disk. 



The polyps cover only the upper surface, are rather 

 large, three-tenths of an inch long and an eighth of an inch 

 distant, the surface between them being covered with mi- 

 nute dots. Upper surface of the disk bluish gray, polyps 

 lighter with still paler tentacles ; lower surface and pedicel 

 dark cream colored. Diameter of disk 1.5 to 2 inches; of 

 pedicel .5. 



Kagosima Bay, Japan, not uncommon in 10 fathoms, 

 sand, January, 1855. Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



Nephthya aurantiaca Verrill, nov. sp. 



Corallum thyrsoid in form, consisting of a stout naked 

 pedicel, divided above into several short, thick branches, 

 which are covered by small, glomerate clusters of crowded 

 polyps; cells very small, verruciform, much crowded; their 

 bases covered with closely imbricated, red spicula; the 

 bases of the tentacles with golden yellow ones. Height 2 in- 

 ches ; diameter of pedicel .3. Color of pedicel and bran- 

 ches pale pink; polyp cells bright red at base, yellow at 

 summit. 



. China Sea in 23° N. lat. Dredged in 28 fathoms, shelly 

 gravel. Color pale reddish gray ; tentacles light yellow 

 Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



