72 



securing the colony in mud or a bottom of a similar nature. Surmounting the 

 axis is a cauliHower-shaped head, 6 cm. high and 8 cm. in breadth. The first 

 branch arises about 18 cm. from the base, it is followed by another on the same 

 side, then come three at approximately the same level, one of which again gives 

 off a fairly large branch. These average 25 cm. in length and S mm. in diameter. 

 Numerous short branches or lobes springing from the main Iiranches bear the 

 polyps in umbrella-like clusters I'l cm. in diameter. 



The stem and branches are very much wrinkled owing to the shrivelling of 

 the canal walls. There are very few spicules in the partition walls, but examina- 

 tion with a lens shows the outer wall to be covered with minute stellate bodies. 



The polyps are non-retractile and are borne on stalks measuring 1-4 to 2 

 mm. in length. The anthocodiie are 1'25 mm. long and the tentacles when ex- 

 panded measure 1 mm. On the stalks the si)icules are arranged longitudinally, 

 some projecting beyond the base of the polyp like a jirimitive or pseudo- 

 Stiitzblindel. Very marked however are the eight double rows of spicules on 

 the anthocodite disposed "en chevron" and including a very small angle. The 

 same structure though not so definite occurs on the tentacles. Ova of enormous 

 size were present in great numbers in the anthocodia-. 



Spicules : — 



(a) Those of the cortical wall of the main stem are apparently very diverse 

 in form, but the same general plan may be seen in them all, viz., from a central 

 point rays emanate, varying in number from two to six, and on the ends of these 

 rays there is a knob very irregular and covered with spines which are sometimes 

 simple but often branched. A common measurement is 01 mm. x 0-1 mm. but 

 smaller forms also occur. 



(h) In the branches the same types occur but they are slightly smaller in 

 size. 



(r) The spicules of the polyps are spindle shaped, covered with simple and 

 branched spines and in some cases warts. The following are common measure- 

 ments in millimetres : — 



Warty spindles, 0-6 x 003 ; 0-5 x 004. 



Spindles with blunt sjjines, 055 x 0'04, the spines 001 mm. in length. 



In the tentacles forms with branching spines occur, e.<j., 0"2 x 0'015 ; 0"15 x 

 001, the spines being 002 mm. in length. Many of the spines are 

 themselves branched. 



Locality : Ganjam Coast, 25 fathoms. 



This specimen does not agree in every particular with Kiikenthal's descrip- 

 tion of £>. umheUuHfera, but the differences do not seem to be important. As 

 Kiikenthal points out, Pardi^povgodcx xtrtatu (Thomson and Henderson, " Ceylon 

 Keport," 1905, p. 277) may be included in D. wmbeUidifera if a margin be 

 allowed for individual variation. 



