Descriptions of the Alcyonaria collected by the U.S. bureau of fisheries steamer Albatross in the vicinity of the Hawaiian islands in 1902

The Hawaiian region appears to be a virgin field, so far as Alcyonaria are concerned, as the writer has been unable to find a single reference, in the rather extensive literature consulted, indicating that any alcyonarians whatever have been reported from this region._ This fact, together with the extraordinary isolation of these islands from any large land mass, makes the material discussed in the following report of unusual interest, both from the number of new forms included and from the standpoint of zodgeography.Considering the length of time since the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands, and the number of European and American residents and visitors, it is somewhat surprising that nothing has heretofore been reported regarding the very rich aleyonarian fauna.This is doubtless due, in part, to the fact that this group of animals has but little recognized economic importance, and more particularly to the almost total lack of dredging operations in this region.