io6 
differences, rather slight as they are, diminish still more by comparing the varieties c/. Schultze 
and spiralis T. and S. with the species under discussion. While Stick, pourtalesi Br. has a 
spiral colony, Stick, grac. var. a has regular spirals, Stick, grac. var. spiralis is at first straight, 
afterwards sinuous and ends with a spiral top, and at last has Stick, gracilis Gray, according 
to Brook, no spiral colony and according to Schultze a partly spiral colony. We have here 
a complete series of transitions from a spiral to a non-spiral colony: I think it not feasible to 
mark a limit. The same holds true for the spinal characteristics. The number of longitudinal rows 
is 5 — 6 in Stick, pourtalesi , 6 — 9 in Stick, gracilis Gray, 7 in its var. a, 5 — 9 in its var. 
spiralis (on one and the same colony!), so that in the last variety the extreme values ol 
Stick, pourtalesi and gracilis are present. -— The length of the spines is a too variable character 
to act as a specific distinctive as is demonstrated not only by Stickopatkes variabilis n. n. but also 
by the greater number of described species out of the Siboga-material. The mutual distance of the 
spines, also very variable in most cases, is 300 p. in Stick, pourtalesi (deduced from Pourtales’ 
figures) and 1000 p. in Stick, gracilis Gray (deduced from Brook’s figures), but it is a fact 
that this value especially in Stick, pourtalesi is not entirely to be confided in since Pourtales’ 
figures are very small and in my opinion give more the habitus and not precisely all the charact¬ 
eristics accurately. So there is no weighty argument to keep Stick, pourtalesi and Stick, gracilis 
apart. Even if all species, mentioned here above as joined to Stick, gracilis Gray should be 
left intact as good species, I would, without any doubt, join Stick, pourtalesi and the varieties 
a and spiralis to Stick, gracilis Gray, under a somewhat wider diagnosis, e. g. colony: spiral 
or partly spiral with straight base, sometimes sinuous, some meters long; spines: 5 — 9 longitudi¬ 
nal rows, laterally compressed, triangular or conical, distance ± 1000 p. ; polyps: one series, large 
and prominent, distance 1.5 — 3 mm., well developed oral cone, very long tentacles, sometimes 
shorter (through preservation?), with swollen base. — Since in Stick, gracilis Gray var. a. Schultze 
the smooth and slender spines are given as a variety-character, together with the spiral stem, 
it must be remarked that the spines are not so very slender; out of the figures given by 
Brook for. Stick, gracilis Gray a length of ± 200 p. may be deduced for the spines, while 
in var. a this length is 190 p. — 220 p.. -— The smoothness of the spines is not so very 
remarkable, if the joining of the species, mentioned about, holds true, since Stick, pourtalesi 
Brook has also smooth spines and since var. spiralis T. and S. has probably also smooth 
spines. — The only specimen in existence of Stickopatkes occidentalis Gray has a slender, 
whiplike, non-spiral colony, 2.74 m. long with a basal diameter of 2 mm. while Stick, pourtalesi 
Brook has a spiral stem. Besides there are differences in the spines; Stick, occidentalis has 
6—10 longitudinal rows against 5 —6 in Stick, pourtalesi ; the spines of Stick, occidentalis are 
small and conical, and in Stick, pourtalesi small and triangular. Since these characters of the 
spines are usually very variable, the differences, mentioned here, are not sufficient to keep 
Stick, occidentalis intact as a species; I will join it to Stick, pourtalesi Br. and via this 
species to Stick, gracilis Gray. The mutual distance of 600 p. between the spines of Stick, 
occidentalis are at the same time a very useful transition from the smaller distance in Stick, 
pourtalesi towards the larger one in Stick, gracilis Gray. — Of Stickopatkes eckinulata Br. there 
exists also only one single specimen, and Brook himself remarks that the type of spines is 
