686 Transactions of the Society. 



The polyps are disposed over about three-fourths of the surface 

 of the colony, leaving a bare longitudinal track which is very 

 marked in the lower part, but almost disappears in the upper 

 portion. The verruca? are small, elongated and slightly club- 

 shaped ; they are about 2 ■ 5 mm. long and ■ 25 mm. in diameter, 

 and are much more openly disposed than in the other species 

 (pi. XIII. fig. 6a). Fig. 6b shows the appearance from the non- 

 polyp-bearing aspect. The tentacles are first infolded and then 

 withdrawn into the upper part of the verrucas, but the verruca? 

 themselves are not retractile into the ccenenchyma. The colour of 

 the ccenenchyma is orange-red, but the verruca? are almost white. 



The spicules of this species are extremely irregular in form, 

 but the following types may be distinguished (pi. XIII. fig. 7) : — 



1. Short slightly warty spindles. (0-07 X 0-015.) 



2. Spindles longer and more warty. (0-09 x 0*038; 0*08 



X 0-038.) 



3. Spindles still longer and more warty. (0'13 x 0'05; 



0-14 x 0-046; 0-16 x 0-065; 0-2 x 0-06.) 



4. Very irregular forms (probably developed from [3]). (0*17 



X 0-11; 0-16 X 0-13.) 



5. Flat, irregular scales. (0-14 X • 09.) 



6. Thick, warty, almost spherical forms. (0-06 x • 045 ; 



0-053 x 0-034.) 



7. Crosses (aberrant). (0-12 x 0-11.) 



Locality:— Bed Cliff, S. of Morewood Cave, X.W. f K 

 6^ miles. Natal. Depth, 37 fathoms ; bottom, sand and shells. 



Position of Hicksonella. 



In this connexion the axis stands first to be considered. As 

 will be seen from the descriptions of the various species, it is com- 

 posed of concentric lamina? ; these lamina? consist of a horny sub- 

 stance containing some form of calcareous deposit. It has been 

 impossible so far to determine the nature of this limy deposit, but 

 it is hoped that some solvent may be found to decompose the 

 organic matter, and so enable a microscopic examination of the 

 inorganic residue to be made. Until this is done, however, deter- 

 mination based on axial structure is impossible. We have, how- 

 ever, in our Eevision of the Juncellids, discussed the possible 

 affinities of several other specimens whose axis is similar to the one 

 under consideration, and the resemblance strongly suggests that 

 the present specimens approach closely to the Gorgonellida?, to 

 which family we would therefore temporarily assign them. 



In the work cited above, after an exhaustive examination of a 

 very large number of Juncellids, we suggested an emended classifi- 

 cation, and included in the genus Juncclla only those species whose 

 spicules contained the type known as "clubs." This type of spicule 



