THE 



VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



ZOOLOGY. 



REPORT on the Calcarea dredged by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 

 1873-76. By N. Polejaeff, M.A. of the University of Odessa. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In December 1882 I received from Mr. John Murray, for the purpose of scientific 

 investigation, all the Calcarea brought home by the Challenger Expedition. The investi- 

 gation has been conducted in Graz, at the Institute of Prof. F. E. Schulze, and in- 

 debted as I am to Prof. F. E. Schulze for the whole of my spongiological education, 

 I am now still more under obligation to him for the encouraging interest which he 

 has manifested in the progress of this investigation, for his liberality in placing at 

 my disposal all his own Calcarea, and for the kindness with which he procured me 

 access to the precious collection which Prof. Oscar Schmidt presented to the Joanneum 

 at Graz. For all this I express to Prof. F. E. Schulze my heartfelt gratitude. I have 

 also to fulfil the agreeable obligation of thanking Dr. E. v. Marenzeller of Vienna, Prof. J. 

 Steenstrup of Copenhagen, Dr. G. C. J. Vosmaer of Naples, and particularly Mr. H. J. 

 Carter of Budleigh-Salterton, for the amiability with which my requests, if in any way 

 realisable, were received and answered. 



The Calcarea of the Challenger Expedition have been found to belong to thirty 

 species, twenty-three of which are quite new. The greater part of the specimens being 

 very well preserved, and there being -amongst them many very interesting forms, I con- 

 sidered it my duty not to limit myself to a simple description of the collected material, 

 but to try to solve some questions which, thanks to recent investigations, have been 

 brought before the scientific world. The principal question, which logically includes in 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP. —PART XXIV.— 1883.) Aa I 



< 



' 



H. 







