40 
Its unbranched part has remains of snapped off, rather thick branches on various levels. How¬ 
ever the first branches which persist are only small and only some cm. higher the crown 
acquires its greatest compass with a diameter of 4 cm, diminishing regularly towards the top 
The entire branched part has an oval form, with the pointed end directed upwards. Since all 
the branches have a rather great basal diameter and are rather short, they have a spiny effect 
the ultimate branches have, at a distance of 0.6 mm. from the top, an axis-diameter of 150 ( u. — 
The branches are inserted on all sides of the stem but always either at right angles with the 
stem, or directed distally at an acute angle which differs immaterially from 90°. All branches, 
except on their base for a space of nearly 1 cm., bear secondary branches especially the larger 
ones. The length of the primary branches is max. 2 cm; between the branches ot a special 
length there are few or none smaller than their neighbours. The secondary branches are 
inserted somewhat laterally, in most cases on the upper-side of the primary ones, under an 
angle of 45 0 directed towards the end of the primary branch. — There are also tertiary and 
often even quarterly branches. The length of these branches does not regularly diminish distally 
but generally there is a decreasing length to be seen, approaching the end of the branches. — 
The branches of all these kinds are somewhat inclined downward and only seldom exceptions 
occur; besides there is to be seen a rotation of the branches in a negative direction, as 
viewed from the top of the colony. — The mutual distance of the branches is at the utmost 
1 cm.; the branches of the highest order have a length of only a few mm. and have a spiny type. 
At the top of the branches the spines (fig. 12) are arranged in five 
longitudinal rows, which regularly quincunxially alternate. The mutual distance 
in a row is 180 u.. The spines are wholly smooth and are inclined distally; 
their distal side is concave, their proximal side is convex; the top is acute. 
Fig . 12. F.uantipathcs ^ l en a;th at opposite sides of the axis is subequal (120 a and 100 u.) ■ the 
a^«(Gray)n.n. Spines & rr 1 v 1 1/1 
on the distal part of a spines perforate the coenenchyma but not the polyps 
(fig. 13). Further from the top the longitudinal rows 
are visible over a little distance, in increasing number, but at last 
this regularity disappears and all the spines are placed pell-mell in a 
very great number. Their form remains 
the same but their length diminishes a 
little. These conditions are the same 
on the unbranched part of the stem. 
The entire colony is covered with polyps, 
except on the unbranched stem, which Fig. 13. Euantipathesabies 
. . n. n. Polyps on the ultimate 
is covered by a parasitical growth. I he branches; 15.75 X- 
Fig. 14. Euantifathes abies (Gray) n. n. colour of the polyps is greyish wine- 
l’olyp: 52 X- . L 
red, which colour occurs in red spots on the tentacles and the 
bodywall (fig. 14). The lower branches are darker violet than the higher ones. The well pre¬ 
served polyps are inserted on those sides of the branches and branchlets, which are turned 
towards the outside of the colony. Only on the branches of higher order the polyps are 
arranged in a single series; on the thicker branches, and even sometimes on the branches of 
V. 
