247 



longitudinal, but interlacing occurs. Polyps confined to one surface ; they are 

 alternate or opposite, and arise at right angles from the front and sides of the 

 stem and branches, but occasional polyps on the older parts interrupt the other- 

 wise continuous bare space. They are conical and arise between large spicu/es ; 

 height, 0-8 mm. ; diameter at base, 0'8 to 1 mm. ; diameter at tip, 0'4 to 07 

 mm. Two polyps occur on opposite sides of the tips of the twigs. The spicules 

 on the verrucce are in indistinct bundles. There is an operculum consisting of 

 eight triangular points surmounting a definite collaret. The spicules are mostly 

 warty spindles ; they are light to dark red, and have the following measurements 

 in millimetres : — 



(a) C'oenenchyma, 5-5 x 0'3 to 1 x -15. 



(b) Verruca?, 06 x 015 to 03 x 0-05. 

 (f) Collaret, 0-3 x 0-03. 



(d) Points, club-shaped and spiny, 015 x 002. 



(e) Tentacles, slightly curved with few spines, 01 x O'Ol. 



Axis horny, brownish -yellow at base. Colour of colony in spirit — dark 

 purplish-red. 



Locality : Funafuti. 



Muricella crassa, Wright and Studer. 



31. crassa, Wright and Studer. " ' Challenger' Report," vol. xxxi. p. 131. 



Colony branched in one plane ; branches and twigs thickened at apex with 

 three polyps pointing in three directions. Crjenenchyma thick, containing 

 several layers of spicules. Polyps bluntly conical, arranged in irregular spirals, 

 and standing vertically at intervals of 1 to 1 5 mm. Calyces with a single layer 

 of spicules disposed in eight bands of two rows and terminating in eight teeth. 

 Operculum consists of a single converging pair at the base of each tentacle ; 

 small spicules also lie on the distal portion of the tentacles. Spicules : — 



(a) Outer layer : warty spindles usually curved, 1'2 mm. x 01 mm. ; 0"9 mm. 

 X 0'125 mm. 



(b) Inner layers : Spindles, also fri- and quadri-radiate forms. 

 {c) Calyx : .spindles, 0'9 mm. x O'l mm. 



(r/) Operculum : spindles, 0-43 mm. x 004 mm. 

 [e) Tentacles : spindles, 0'2 x 0'05 and less. 



Axis horny, flexible, brown, relatively thin and weak, being 1 mm. thick in 

 twigs of 5 mm. diameter. Colour — greyish-white. 



Locality : " Challenger" Station 190 ; Arafura Sea, 49 fathoms. 



Muricella complanata, Wright and Studer. 

 M. complanata, Wright and Studer. " ' Challenger ' Eeport," vol. xxxi. 

 p. 125. 



