16 



Fig. 7. Nephthya glomerata, n. sp. — Gen- 

 eral view of a piece of the colony. 

 Enlarged about eight times. 



arise nine polyp-bearing lobes, five on one side and four on the ether. These 

 again bear smaller catkin-like outgrowths covered with polyps. 



The surface of the central portion is 

 paler in colour than the polyps and pre- 

 sents a glistening arenaceous appearance, 

 and when viewed with a lens appears 

 transversely corrugated. Embedded among 

 the smaller spicules are a number of long 

 warty spindles arranged transversely. 



The canals are large and almost cir- 

 cular in section ; they ai'e few in number, 

 and are supported by thin walls which 

 contain very few spicules. The outer 

 wall is tough and hard ; it is densely packed 

 with small spicules and forms the support 

 of the colony. 



The polyps ai-e disposed over the 

 whole surface of the lobes, sometimes 

 appearing almost as if in whorls. On the main trunk small groups occur, some- 

 times arising directly, at other times having a short support. The polyp-stalk 

 is about 1"25 mm. in length and the body about 1 nun. They are supported 

 by a fairly definite " Stiitzbiindel " consisting of four to six thick spindles, the 

 uppermost pair of which generally project for a short distance. The orientation 

 of the polyps is such that all the oral openings are directed towards the sup- 

 porting lobe and are closely apposed to it. On the body-wall the spicules are 

 arranged " en chevron " in eight groups which form definite ridges culminating 

 in triangular points at the base of the tentacles. On the aboral surface of the 

 tentacles the spicules are arranged "en chevron". 



The spicules are chiefly spiny and warty spindles, but small irregular bodies 

 occur in the outer wall. The spindles vary greatly in proportion of length to 

 breadth : in some the spines are much elongated and in others they are bifur- 

 cated. The following are some of the measurements length by breadth in 

 millimetres : — 



(a) " Stutzbiindel," 15 x 015 ; 17 x 012. 



(b) Polyp, 0-8 X 012 ; 1 x 014. 



{(■) Outer wall, sjiindles, 1 x 0075 to 0-3 x 004. 

 Irregular forms, 0-015 x 0015 ; 001 x 001. 

 Locality : Gaspar Strait, East Coast of Sumatra. 



