53 



than 2 mm. The calyces are distributed over the whole surface of the colony, but not so 

 thickly as in most reticulate muriceids, being usually about i mm. apart. 



The individual calyces are small and verruciform, less than .5 mm. in height and 1 mm. 

 in diameter. The margin is surrounded by a crown of rather sharp, often fiattened points which 

 project from spicules whose branched and foliaceous bases are embedded in the calyx walls. 

 The lower parts of the walls are filled with spindles which are usually transversely placed. The 

 polyps are retractile, but often rest, even in the dried specimen, with the collarets just above 

 the calyx margin. 



Both the operculum and collaret are well developed, the former being elevated and 

 conical and composed of the usual three spindles, two long and longitudinally placed on the 

 upper surface of the tentacle, and the third lying between their bases. 



Spicules. The most prominent form is the typical Echinomuricea one, each consisting 

 of a basal portion with forked, tuberculate, foliaceous expansions ; and a distal single point, 

 which is often fiattened in the present species. There are also many stellate forms, clubs, daggers, 

 etc, and a few large regularly tuberculate spindles. 



Color. The color of the dried specimen is dull brown, the axis brown and the spicules 

 yellowish red. 



General distribution. Ridley reports this species from Port Curtis, 5 fathoms ; 

 Port Molle, 12 — 20 fathoms; and Warrior Reef, Torres Straits, Australia. Thomson and 

 Henderson report it from the Pearl Banks, Gulf of Manaar. 



3. Echinomuricea collaris new species. (Plate IX, figs. 1, ia-, Plate XXI, fig. 5). 

 Stat. 280. 8°i7'.4S., I27°30'.7E. Banda Sea. 1224 meters. 



The type specimen is but a fragment 3 cm. in length, forking about 5 mm. from its 

 proximal end. Both forks show sprouting branches. The calyces are distributed thickly on all 

 sides of the branches, especially on the distal portions, where they are so closely approximated 

 that it is very dimcult to ascertain whether there is a terminal polyp or not. The calyces are 

 usually set at a right angle to the branch on its proximal part, but are inclined distally on 

 the terminal part 



The calyces are columnar in shape, varying greatly in height, but averaging about 2 mm. 

 to the margin, with a diameter of about 1.5 mm. Their walls are covered with imbricating 

 spicules which project in a crown of points around the margin. Each of these points is the 

 distal end of a spicule, the proximal portion of which is expanded into a series of racliating, 

 foliaceous processes which are embedded in the ccenenchyma. The polyps rest, in retraction, 

 on the strongly marked collaret which is surmounted by the high dome-shaped operculum. 

 The basal portion of each opercular flap consists of three spindles arranged in an acute triangle 

 pointing towards the apex of the dome. The distal portion of the dorsal surface of each 

 tentacle is covered with longitudinal spindles, some of which are bent to include the points of 

 the triangfles. 



