Soe has ar Pas RP pcre Oa ad - ~ ‘< A\ Aa ie AAAAAY A AAA A A ‘ A AN A apn ¥. A ce Ann Peay VARNG 8. es ae aAAa, can Aan WA ANA Ant vw A A A a Aa ‘ANA AA NN p | \ ah lat AA Ny MA ORS? ‘A Aa. AA G CONS, roan sabres AA FY “\ x RENAN Aa Aa AX CC ae ae aS a BS ea eS - pecs gee COS qe Se ee ES <_* rr EE ce n an AANA aan ea we. AA A n : a AANA neha {\ ANA p Nr 2 aARAAA.. | - . : $. a Wa ; A aah ann Ant aah A f\ f\ ann val \A\ Nn mn alata aaa’ if ANAal \ nn NA nanan Anne Ann ‘nani NAA -aAAa. aoe ANA ; xAAN nh \ i ( A TAA NNW, Atw: i hs n\ AL nnn ANN bal m An Naan Cleetas ie yyy Vi Wee N | os! vA | , NW v Nw" ae mete Se as ee Lee ane wud yy iy ene acorn Wiig Cer a vt Wan Re sa ¥ y hee fe = ~ W\ ie =f a Vein’ tee a i ~ : ¥ x X 4 . sh ) Nd WN INN) =} J, Vs) y uy ws sie ve WM hot A | ey WISWiciti cnet Cae ey Cretan ghiCis ean e LG) S WY i rece | pwiWvaroste oe RAVE Hen ae revi - uyauddyyYu eM Vs cz > 5 oo o >» To = —S= fo ~s [From the Proceedings of the Cal. Academy of Sciences, August 18, 1873.] Description of a New Genus and Species of Aleyonoid ‘Polyp. BY ROBERT E. C. STEARNS. At a meeting of the California Academy of Sciences, held on the third day of February, 18735, a paper was read by me, entitled “ Remarks on a New Alcyc- noid Polyp, from Burrard’s Inlet ;” * in which [ gave a resume of the discus- sions, notices, ete., in this country and in England, arising from the examination by several naturalists, of certain “switch ”-like forms, which had been received by different parties from the Gulf of Georgia (more particularly from Burrard’s Inlet, in said gulf); several specimens of said “ switches” being in the Museum of the California Academy. These “ switches,” or rods, were referred by Dr. Gray, of the British Museum, to his genus “ Osteocella,” and by Mr. Sclater’s correspondent stated to belong to “a sort of fish ;” but by the majority of scientific gentlemen who had seen these “switches” they were regarded as belonging to a species of Alcyonoid Polyp. I expressed the belief that they belonged to a species of Umbellularia. At a meeting of the California Academy, held on the evening of August 4, 1873, Dr. James Blake presented a specimen of the polyp of which these so- called switches are the axes, which had been sent to him from the Gulf of Georgia by his friend, Capt. Doane. This specimen was one of six or seven sent at the same time, all of which were in a tolerable state of preservation, though, as might have been anticipated, the more delicate tissues of the polyps are somewhat decomposed, and some of the specimens are in some places lacer- ated. They all are, however, sufficiently perfect to determine the true position, and show that the “switches” are, as was supposed, the supporting stalks or axes of an Alcyonoid Polyp “ related or pertaining to the group Pennatulide.” At the last meeting I referred the specimen before the Academy to that divi- sion of the Pennatulide known as Virgularia, but upon a subsequent examina- tion of the authorities, I find that those forms in which the axis is unilateral, or on one side, come within the Genus Pavonaria of Cuvier. The only species heretofore described so far as I can learn, and on which this genus is based is P. quadrangularig, of which a lengthy and~ interesting description from Prof. Forbes, is given in Johnston’s British Zoophytes (Vol. I, pp. 164-166). In that species however, the axis is “acutely quadrangular ”’ and the polyps are arranged in three longitudinal series, corresponding to three of the “angles of the stem.” * Vide Proceed. Cal. Acad, Sciences, Vol. V., Part I., pp. 7-12. 2 - In the specimen presented by Dr. Blake the style or axis is round and the polyps are arranged in two longitudinal unilateral series, which conform to the convexity of the external fleshy covering. With these differences, I think I am justified in placing it in a new sub-genus for which I propose the name of Ver- rillia in honor of Prof. Verrill of Yale College. Genus PAVONARIA, Cuvier. Sub-genus VerrIL11A, Stearns. Polypidom linear-elongate, round, oval or ovate in cross-section. Axis round, Slender, bony ; polyps arranged in two unilateral longitudinal series. Verrillia Blakei, Stearns; n. s. Polyp-mass or polypidom, of a flesh or pink color, linear, elongate, attenuate ; polypiferous portion about three fourths of the entire length, rounded oval to ovate-elliptic in cross section, and from three fourths to one inch in greatest di- ameter, flatly tapering toward the tip, as well as decreasing in the opposite direction to where the polypiferous rows terminate or become obsolete. From this latter point to the beginning of the base or root, a portion of the polypi- dom, equal to about one sixth of its entire length, is quite slender, being only about twice the diameter of the naked axis, and the surface quite smooth ; said portion, as well as the base, is round (in cross section); the basal part is from one ninth to one eleventh of the entire length, and about one inch in diameter, with the surface longitudinally wrinkled or contracted, presenting a ridged or fibrous appearance. Style or axis long, slender, white, hard, bony, somewhat polished, about three sixteenths (3-16) of an inch in diameter in the thickest part, tapering gradually toward the tip, and attenuated, with surface somewhat roughened toward the basal extremity. Inclosed in the polyp-mass or polypidom, the axis is central from the base to where the polyp-rows begin, when it soon becomes marginal or lateral, forming a prominent rounded edge (free from polyps) on one side of the polypiferous portion of the whole. From near the sides of the axial edge the polyp-rows start, and run oblique- ly upward to the opposite side, where they nearly meet, presenting, when that side is observed from above, a concentric chevron or 4-like arrangement, modi- fied by the convexity of the polypidom. The more conspicuous polyp-rows show from nine to fourteen polyps, with occasional intermediate rows of three or more polyps. The length of the most perfect of Dr. Blake’s specimens was sixty-six (66) inches ; of which, commencing at the tip, a length of forty-eight and a quarter (4814) inches was occupied by the polyp-rows, which numbered two hundred and forty-five (245), or twice that number when both sides or arms of the chey- ron or A are considered. The number of polyps in each row was, in this speci- men, from eight (8) to eleven (11), with occasional intermediate shorter rows of from three (3) to seven (7). Estimating ten to the row, this specimen exhibited about five thousand polyps, all of which, as well as the polyps in the other speci- mens, were filled with ova, of an orange color. In the next section of this spec- imen, the length between the last polyp-row and the swell of the base or root, is >) 9) eleven and one quarter (1114) inches ; thence to the termination of the base, six (6) inches. The average dimensions of thirty-six (86) of the axes in the Museum of the California Academy is five feet six and one third inches in length, and the diam- eter of the largest, nine thirty-seconds of an inch; diameter of smallest speci- men, one sixteenth of an inch. Dr. Blake’s specimens were preserved in a mixture of glycerine and alcohol, and the more delicate tissue of the polyps appears to have been, somewhat in- jured by the latter ingredient. Additional specimens of the above species, from the same locality, have been received from J S. Lawson, Esq., of the U. S. Coast Survey, by George Dav- idson, Esq., President of the Academy. These latter were put in glycerine only, and are in better condition than those received by Dr. Blake. Of the specimens received from Mr. Lawson, some individuals are younger than either of Dr. Blake’s. In these the polyp-rows are farther apart, and there are not so many polyps in the row ; neither do the ends of the rows ap- proximate so closely on the side opposite the axial edge; the polyps being not nearly so many in the same length, or presenting (as do some of Dr. Blake’s” specimens) so crowded an appearance. In cross-section through the polypiferous portions, the younger individuals are less oval or acutely-ovate than in the older specimens. A comparison of individuals indicates an external differentiation, analagous to that displayed by specimens of the same species in Virgularia. The general aspect of this species, judging from the figure in Plate XXXI. of Johnston’s British Zoophytes (2d ed.), is like P. quadrangularis from Oban, on- ly in that species the rows of polyps it is stated, are composed of “four, five or six polyps in a row,” one figure showing seven. ON MIE EWA EL IW GOLA AY Mihi ldiee se GUA GS 2 BMV Vee £eete.s i eg heh MAM avivaliganiant ans a aay VN Saat ee ick Wyse useviyerrvee oo ive Sate cro cc oases SMA i EUS" ee) WA u ws é WV Fah e Whee ra be WL a Wie i nv, Wee y | vv : | V Vi “AW. v) gg You ye saa i IV Vigiv: MY UY, : : j VIS Seren Oe, vv iv WY, WM UY, | Wy vy" ye Wty JOY WY he UN ely Sy WKY — Suey eae Maw {y yet ss ae ae MU Yaesu weydy ivy | WW Mie) adauueueeY oul vue Mae ee WG So coniTyiy TV" nets vatgeneenetge as ‘Aidit aa omcenrennanrn Sob SAR cule vey Uy oR hee acct AWN Ww WA ivi yy wi M, i a i YIN N wil oo aii mennuentca Wire POM n is an, Be yuvene a vO YoY Yul YON UT Bee Ye NN Wy, NULy addy penyuuiie ete MONS pane aye reaver" i) “| AGS WY" “ii, vd maa eee ee ; : ey aS OC EK CG COLE Cee a (%e CE =) << x < A st Poa ¥ ¥ sei a MAP wee RS heeh ; WAM HMMM SRE de ee i ‘ Cet Wye ~ My J U Sue Na XM MI y Vili y Vo ve Wee’ bidvevn eeu oo" ie ity ee vy My aay shige “yseus Weck “Wj mvv YY Yu sut ube : g : AML ud S: RASA goer begeyeuy ‘ sot Bi ye i: y : Wy ory sug iy woolly vi Vie “sedi idles aon : uN MU UV Uae Seu ae wl Vy eA euuumnra mee ett weit WW) Ww Wi WWW Wide YY a masse MAW led Wey Wy Wye ev” GO ee Ge mee e piu i Wy Jv yyw 1b aa a ae cea win baat: | Very wy LUV AN i ae Vou GMM eer hal Wubiyy Me i i oman Ways iervsnerys v\ we) HA ny ain Wie y uusvuuyer vy sa ag, SS We Tec ows, € UN UYU EU eas pont VV GV VEU) id blah MM Me ecu VU eee J evita Zhai, i, Bw ly Sy Laue ) Uy vi NSN vy | teovtoaege bane NS Nits etanacoamah eco 2 oii ii yy We WOW vove SNE va re ex y UYU Uy WA vevye 3 os JOY UE ESC GSU SS LOM le WU WY : wi WUE UY YYYOU ee M We WN AW iiiauiion wwsouiy Weuureeres, veel sss wy ah si v ye wt JA Se ee EA a oe SN ae et ei a Tish 43 CORREA Wu su MW yy, et east = ee : e Mobis eA “MGUY im \ tS SN LY ee “ stitch ll oO 2 8 | HINT TIM Ma I