239 



but ill several places — in one fragment especially — -the spicules are grouped so 

 as to form ridges and furrows, the axis being visible in the depressions. 



The axis is horny and is composed of strands which give it an interrupted 

 sheen when viewed with reflected light. It is very soft and collapses when 

 sharply bent across, owing to the i)resence of a white, soft, pulpy core. It is 

 black at the base, passing through a golden brown to a horny yellow at the 

 tip. 



The verrucas are disposed in a sinuous row on one side but sometimes diverge 

 so as to appear as if originating on two aspects. They stand perpendicularly 

 and form slightly flattened cones. The largest are lo mm. in breadth and 

 1 mm. in height. The distance between the verrucre is by no means constant. 

 The average is about 2 mm., but in some places they are 5 mm. apart, while in 

 others their bases almost merge. 



On the majority, the spicules are arranged pointing to the oral region, but 

 by transitional stages they come to surround the verrucas circumferentially. In 

 some cases they are arranged in eight groups forming eight projections over the 

 retracted polyps. 



The anthocodi;x^ are wholly retractile, and when the tentacles are infolded 

 there appears a quasi-operculum formed of eight irregular triangles of spindles. 

 These extend to the bases of the tentacles on which the spicules are arranged 

 transversely. 



The spicules of the coenenchyma and verrucpe are slightly warty spindles 

 which taper in a marked degree. Those of the operculum are beset with simple 

 spines. In length they have a fairly large compass. The following are some 

 of the measurements in millimetres : 0-85 x 009 ; 0-<j x 0-06 ; 04 x O'Oo. The 

 spicules on the tentacles measure 01 x 0-02. The following points of difference 

 from the type specimen may be noted : — 



(it) In the " Challenger "-form the spicules are shorter and have much 

 blunter ends, being also thicker in comparison to the length, e.[/., 0"62 mm. x 0'13 

 mm., as compared with 0"85 mm. x 009 mm. They also bear more numerous 

 warts. 



(/>) The disposition of the verructe in two rows is not so marked in our 

 specimens. 



(c) Wright and Studer describe the position of the spicules on the verrucse 

 as circumferential while their figure depicts them as longitudinal. Both 

 arrangements are to be seen on one colony. 



Locality : Ganjam Coast, 28-30 fathoms. 



Previously recorded from Arafura Sea, south of Papua, 28 fathoms. 



Another specimen from the Arakan Coast, 1:3 fathoms, is 150 mm. in 

 length and bears a long slender branch. The polyps, though predominantly on 

 two surfaces, nevertheless show a marked tendency to a unilateral orientation. 



