Thurammina papillata Bradij : a Study in Variation. 549 



our gatherings, but the name may be usefully employed for such 

 abnormal individuals as we figure. These are not uncommon in 

 some gatherings. 



Thuravimina papillata var. elegantissima Haeusler. 



Type, Haeusler (Eef. 21, pi. vii, figs. 12 and 13). 



Plate XXX, fig. 11. 



Haeusler's type represents a flattened aggregation of small 

 spheres devoid of papillfe. We have so far only observed a few 

 specimens referable to this type, one of which we figure. It may 

 be remarked that Haeusler's two species were described by him as 

 " very rare," so it would seem that these abnormal forms were not 

 more frequent as fossils than they are to-day. 



Thurammina papillata var. favosa Flint. 



Type, T. favosa Flint (Ref. 30, pi. xxi, fig. 2). 



Plate XXVIII, fig. 17. 



This variety, characterized by the presence of raised hexagonal 

 meshed walls on the surface of the sphere, would appear to be 

 a very rare variation of the sphere type, there being, so far as we 

 are aware, no records of its discovery, except by Flint, from two 

 Stations in the Gulf of Mexico, in depths of 26 and 420 fms., and 

 by Millett from the Malay Archipelago. It is represented in the 

 " Goldseeker " collections by a few specimens only, including a 

 single chitinous example from Haul 145, Station ix.B, which 

 presents the characteristic honeycomb structure of the surface, and 

 this specimen we figure. 



Closely allied to YQ.x\eij favosa Flint is a form which occurs 

 rarely in some of the deeper " Goldseeker " dredgings, and for 

 which we propose the varietal name murata (muratus = enclosed 

 by walls), 



Thurammina papillata var. murata var. nov. 

 Plate XXVIII, figs. 18-21. 



Test free, always of irregular shape, generally compressed, but 

 sometimes roughly spherical, consisting of one (in aggregated 

 specimens two or more) chambers of angular shape, enclosed in 

 walls constructed rather loosely of fine grey sand, the angular edges 

 sharp, generally projecting as walls or flanges, which are more or 

 less spongy or cavernous in structure. Apertures situated along 

 the edges of the flanges, sometimes produced as minute papillae. 

 Specimens vary somewhat in size. Average diameter about 

 0*48 mm. Width of the projecting flanges about O'Ol mm. 



The whole appearance of the specimens suggests that tlie test 

 has been constructed in the cavities between sand -grains and 

 pebbles on the bottom, and has taken its shape from its environ- 



