37 
In dista nee of the spines B. patula and B. erotema together form a group, and 
all other ones a second group. 
In relative position of the branches the case is the same for II and IV, 
while all the others form the other group. 
In number of the longest branch there are three groups: IV, V«, B. alter¬ 
nates and B. tenuis form one group; I, Ilia, B. erotema a second one, and II, IIIj 3 , Vp and 
B. patula a third one, while B. patula var. plenisp. is different from all three groups. 
In many cases this groups are connected by transitions. By studying this data it is clear 
that the boundaries between these species are not sufficiently circumscribed to justify their creation. 
Again and again the “Siboga”-specimens produce the desired transitions and the mixture of 
characteristics of different species. Brook himself has often remarked in his species-descriptions 
how much these species are like Bathypathes patula Brook and differ from it only in minor 
characteristics, differences, which are made even more insignificant by the “Siboga’’-specimens.— 
Only Bath, lyra Br. and Bath, tenuis Br. are easily distinguishable. Schultze’s Bath, erotema is, 
as he himself remarks, very much like Bath, patula Br., and they differ only in the dimensions 
of the polyps and the distribution of the spines, which differences are annihilated by various “Siboga”- 
specimens. Far from multiplying the number of species, difficult to distinguish from one another, 
which would have been easy enough, I prefer to consider the “Siboga”-specimens as local 
varieties of one and the same species Ezibathypathes patula , whereto I reckon all other former 
species, except Etibathypathes lyra Br., Eubatypathes tenuis Br. and Eubathypathes bifida Thom¬ 
son, and the specific diagnosis of which is as follows : 
Colony: stem curved in more or less distinct form of a point of inter¬ 
rogation; curved branches in two rows, alternating in somewhat shifted 
pairs or irregularly; angle between the branches of one pair acute to nearly 
i8o°. No secondary branches. 
Spines: triangular. Oft different length on opposite sides of the axis; 
(3—) 4 (—5) longitudinal rows. Distance very variable around 300 p.. Smooth. 
Length max. 75 p,. 
Polyps: distance between the pairs of tentacles ± 2.5 mm.; tentacle- 
length 1.5 — 2.5 mm.; stunted oral cone. 
Former habitat. 
Brook. 35°22 / N., i 69°53 / E. 2900 fath. red clay 
36°io / N., i78°o / E. 2050 fath. Globig. ooze 
4°2i / S., i2 9°7 / E. 1425 fath. blue mud 
2 0 3 3 r S., i44°4 / E. 1070 fath. blue mud. 
Schultze. 63° i 6 / .5 S., 57°5i / E. 4636 M. blue mud. 
Forster Cooper. 6° 31 N., 79°38 / E., 401 fm.; ii° 26 / N., 92°53 / E., 378 fm.; i5°29 / N., 
72 ° 4 i / E. ) 559 fm - 
A. Thomson. Cod Bank. 
