TETRAXONIDA 339 



larger than the two preceding specimens, is very conspicuously shaggy throughout the 

 whole surface. Internally, the spiculation is very disordered: the smaller megascleres 

 are most irregularly distributed and the larger megascleres are not only fewer in number 

 than is usual but do not form the usual radial bundles. Instead they are arranged in 

 a very confused manner. 



I have (1931) suggested the possibility that the individuals of this species periodically 

 extrude their spicules and the present specimens appear to offer strong support to this 

 view. The first specimen is quite obviously in a normal condition. The third, equally 

 obviously, is not, but has every appearance of being in the process of extruding the bulk 

 of its larger megascleres at the surface. Specimen 2, on the other hand, appears equally 

 certainly to be in the final stages of a "moult," with the remaining patches of the ex- 

 truded spicules still loosely adhering to the surface, while internally the skeleton is 

 resuming its normal arrangement. 



Distribution. Victoria Land ; Wilhelm Land. 



Genus Sphaerotylus, Topsent 

 Sphaerotylus antarcticus, Kirkpatrick. 

 (For synonymy see Burton, 1929, p. 446.) 

 Occurrence. St. i6o: Shag Rocks, 177 m. 

 Distribution. Victoria Land; Wilhelm Land. 



Genus Stylocordyla, Thomson 



Stylocordyla borealis (Loven), subsp. acuata, Kirkpatrick. 



S. borealis, var. acuata, Kirkpatrick, 1908, p. 22, pi. xvi, figs. 6-10; Hentschel, 1914, p. 34; 

 S. borealis, subsp. acuata, Burton, 1928, p. 66, fig. 6; S. borealis, var. acuata, id., 1929, p. 445. 



Occurrence. St. 42: South Georgia, 120-204 m.; St. 123: South Georgia, 230 m.; St. 144: South 

 Georgia, 155-178 m.; St. 160: Shag Rocks (depth doubtful); St. 167: South Orkneys, 244-344 m-; 

 St. 175 : South Shetlands, 200 m. ; St. 177 : South Shetlands, 1080 m. ; St. 190 : Palmer Archipelago, 

 93-130 m. 



Distribution. Victoria Land; Wilhelm Land. 



Genus Spirastrella, Schmidt 

 Spirastrella purpurea (Lamarck) (Plate LVI, fig. 7). 

 (For synonymy see Vosmaer, 1911.) 



Occurrence. St. 283 : ofT Annobon, Gulf of Guinea, 18-30 m. 



Remarks. The specimen is similar to those figured by Vosmaer (loc. cit., pi. iii, fig. 2, 

 pi. iv, fig. 6) in appearance. The surface is obscured, except for papillate processes, by 

 calcareous debris and much debris is included throughout the tissues. The habitus 

 recalls that of Spirastrella aiirivilli forma excavans, Lindgren (1898, p. 41) and the 

 spicules are almost identical with those of S. congenera, Ridley (cf. Vosmaer, loc. cit., 

 pi. xii, fig. i). 



Distribution. Indo-AustraHan area ; West Indies. 



