REPORT ON THE HEXACTINIyE 19 



Color. — The specimens when I received them were in formahn 

 and showed a distinct green coloration in the upper part of the 

 column, while the lower part was a dingy white. On transfer- 

 ring them to alcohol the green coloration gradually disappeared, 

 the pigment to which it was due being evidently soluble in that 

 medium. In life the coloration, according to Dr. Calkins' de- 

 scription, was quite brilliant. He says, " The ground color is 

 bright green while rows of bright red vary it. Each tentacle is 

 colored in the middle by a ring of brown and the tip is of the 

 same color. They are very gorgeous " (Fig". 8). 



Brandt's description of the coloration of his A. elegantissiuia 

 is as follows : " Red, green, blue or fuscous, or even green 

 spotted with purple. Disc olivaceous, striated with white. 

 Tentacles white, purple at the tips and marked at the middle 

 by a purple band." Comparing this with Dr. Calkins' de- 

 scription a decided similarity is noticeable, Brandt's account, 

 however, indicating considerable variation in the color of the 

 column. The markings of the tentacles Calkins describes as 

 brown, while Brandt states that they are purple, a discrepancy 

 perhaps due to variation, or perhaps to the uncertain way in 

 which the term purple is frequently used. In both descriptions 

 the arrangement of the markings is identical. 



Sirjc. — The three specimens sent me were all apparently small, 

 measuring 3, 1.8 and 2.5 cm. in height, and 3, 3, and 1.5 cm. 

 in breadth, respectively. Dr. Calkins in his notes says that 

 some individuals ''are of large size, five or six inches long and 

 three or four in diameter, and Brandt's statement regarding the 

 size is " Corpus magnum." The inner tentacles have a length 

 of about 0.4-0.5 cm., while the outer ones seem to be slightly 

 longer. 



Struchire. — The verrucae are hollow outpouchings of the 

 column wall (Fig. 9). The circular musculature of the col- 

 umn is well developed in the intervals between the verrucas 

 and is supported upon branched mesogloeal processes, which 

 are frequently grouped together in bunches arising from a 

 common base. The walls of the verrucal outpouchings are, 

 however, almost destitute of musculature, except at the very 



