FORAMINIFERAN AND OTHER CORALS 189 



that any sponge would be found that formed both a sihceous 

 and a calcareous skeleton as well. 



We are indebted to Mr. R. Kirkpatrick of the British 

 Museum, who made a special journey to Porto Santo to 

 obtain living specimens of Merlia, for a careful investigation 

 and description of fresh material and for the conclusion, 

 which seems to be convincing, that the calcareous substance 

 of Merlia is formed by the Sponge.^ 



All the specimens of Merlia that have hitherto been 

 described were found in deep water off Porto Santo or off 

 the coast of Madeira, but a very fine specimen was obtained 

 by Professor Gardiner off 

 Solomon Island in the 

 Indian Ocean, and it is 

 probable, therefore, that 

 the genus has a wider 

 geographical distribution 

 than was at first sup- 

 posed. 



The living specimens 

 have a smooth surface 



and are bright vermilion I-io. 96.-ilM'/ja norman^ Solomon island, 

 o Indian Ocean. Nat. size. 



in colour, but when re- 

 moved from the sea the thin layer of fleshy substance 

 settles down and reveals the porcelain - like calcareous 

 skeleton. 



The dried specimens have the appearance of thin crusts 

 of calcareous matter of irregular but roughly circular form 

 about 10-15 nim. in diameter, firmly adherent to some 

 hard support. Unlike many encrusting corals, Merlia cannot 

 be detached from its support without being hopelessly 

 destroyed. The character of the support varies. In the 

 Solomon Island specimen it is a mass of porous coral sub- 

 stance so much altered by age and boring organisms that 

 it is impossible to determine its precise nature. The Atlantic 

 specimens were attached to shells, branches of corallines, 

 worm tubes, a dead Dendrophylha, and a block of volcanic 

 rock. 



' R. Kirkpatrick, Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci. Ivi., 191 1. 



