BY E. F. KALLMANN". 475 



branched habit and the more evident microspination of their 

 spiriilse; the third, which T select as the tyije-specimen, is in the 

 collection of the Australian Museuni. 



External chnracterti. — Of the three specimens, two (wliich are 

 excellently preserved in alcohol) — viz., the Australian jNluseum 

 specimen and R.N. 1046 — are exceedingly alike in all but size; 

 the former (PI. xxii., fig.4) measures 145 mm. in total height, the 

 latter 100 mm. Their bi-anches are, without exception, circular 

 or nearly so in cross-section, attain a maximal stoutness distally 

 of from 10 to 12mm., and are seldom more than 5mm. in diameter 

 at the base; the extremities of the branches are never in the least 

 degree fiointed. The surface is perfectly even and glalirous, 

 without the faintest trace of granulation. The oscula are minute, 

 seldom as much as 0-4 mm. in diameter, and for the most part 

 are scattered irregularly ; in places, howe\er, they exhibit a 

 tendency towards a longitudinal serial arrangement. Excurrent 

 canals leading to the oscula are not visible th-rough the dermal 

 membrane. The colour in alcohol, both superficiall}- and for 

 some distance interiorly, is an opatpic [jale creamy-white; pro- 

 ceeding towards the axis, it gradually becomes more yellowish, 

 owing to the closer approximation of the spongin-ensheathed 

 skeletal fibres. The consistency, in the more expanded, distal 

 parts of the branches, is soft and resilient; the branches are 

 flexible and elastic. 



The other specimen (K.N. 415), measuring 108 nn)i. in total 

 height, exhibits the following differences (PI. xxix., fig. 1): (i.)The 

 branches (which vary from 10 to 14nnn. in stoutness) are mostly 

 pointed at the extremities, and rendered irregular by occasional 

 swellings and protuberances (incipient secondary branches) ; 

 (ii. ) the oscula, almost without exception, are arranged along the 

 branches in irregular opposite rows, and the largest are nearly 

 1 mm. in diameter; (iii.-) the surface is minutely wrinkled, and 

 in parts slightly granular; and (iv.)the consistency is compara- 

 tively firm and hard, and the branches are brittle rather than 

 flexible. Otherwise, however, with the exception of the single 

 ditierence mentioned in the next paragraph, the specimen agrees 



