ALCYOKARIA — J A. THOMSON AND DORIS L. MlCKlNNON. 669 



Over the branching side of the colony the polyp-bundles form 

 a dense covering. The polyps occur in bundles of about six, in 

 typically " glomerate" arrangement. 



The polyp-stalks are very long, 1 •5-2-5 mm. The polyp-heads 

 are about I'D mm. and make an angle with their stalk that may 

 be either a right angle or obtuse. The Stiitzbiindel is very weakly 

 developed; it consists of about four almost smooth spindles. 



In contrast with the long polyp-stalk the Stiitzbiindel seems 

 quite inconspicuous, and this gives a Stereacanihia-Uke appear- 

 ance to the polyp. The armature of the polyp consists of eight 

 longitudinal rows of closely apposed pairs of curved spindles: there 

 are about six to eight pairs in a row, of which the uppermost pair 

 is the most strongly developed. One or both of this uppermost 

 pair may project slightly above the polyp-head. Between the 

 adjacent " points" thus formed, a few small spindles lie without 

 regular arrangement. Unlike the spicules of the Stiitzbiindel 

 and polyp-stalk, which are yellow-brown smooth spindles with 

 scarcely any warts, the spicules of the polyp-head are colourless, 

 bent spindles, with more numerous, rather prominent warts. The 

 following measurements were taken of length and breadth in 

 millimetres: — (1) spicules of polyp-stalk, 1-37 x '085; -765 x 

 •035; -425 X -017; (2) polyp-spicules, -765 x '051 ; •544x-03i; 

 •34 X -017 ; "255 x '025. There is a median row of very small, 

 transversely-disposed spicules along each tentacle. 



The spicules of the cortex are, in the upper part of the colony 

 directed more or less transversely. They are long spindles (2'97 

 X -17 mm. ; 1"78 x *19 mm.; 527 x '34 mm.) with few, small 

 warts. In the branches these superficial spindles are smaller, 

 and take a longitudinal direction. Below the point where the 

 ring of foliaceous branches comes off, the character of the cortical 

 .spiculation changes. There are still a few spindles, but the 

 gi'eat majority of the spicules are small opaque, white stars, tri- 

 and quadri-radiates and irregular spiny forms. "204 x 'N mm. ; 

 •119 X -102 mm. ; -102 x -085 mm. 



In the canal-walls of the lower part of the colony a few similar 

 star-like spicules are to be found. In the upper reaches of the 

 canal-walls no trace of spicules could be found. 



The colour of the stem is brownish-gray with a reddish tinge 

 on the branches ; the roots are dark gray, and the polyps and their 

 stalks are red-brown. 



In certain features this species approaches very closely 

 Dendronephthya maxima, Kiikenthal, particularly in the 

 form of the long-stalked polyps with their weakly-developed 

 Stiitzbiindel, and in the remarkable smoothness of the cortical 

 spindles. But our species shows larger polyps, a greater number 

 of spicule pairs in the longitudinal rows on the polyps, and these 

 spicules are not smooth as in D. maxima, nor do they show any 



