28H 



description of this species. The stalk of the larger colony is 105 mm. in length 

 and has a slight swelling about the middle. 



Both the pro- and nieta-rachidial surfaces are free throughout their entire 

 length and are densely covered with small, longitudinally arranged spicules 

 which give them a red colour. The pinnules are rudimentary and are borne on 

 the pai-a-rachidial surfaces. There are six to thirteen polyps on each pinnule, 

 the number varying according to the position on the rachis. The polyps them- 

 selves are white, but are supported by groups of red spicules wluch mark their 

 position definitely almost to the base of the pinnule. The pinnules are separ- 

 ated by distances of about 2 mm. The position of the zooids is half-lateral, 

 half-ventral, and each is surrounded by a numlier of small projecting spicules. 



Locality : Off Ceylon, 3-i fathoms. 



Previously recorded from the Chinese Sea. 



Scytalium martensii, Kolliker, var. magniflora, nov. 



We have referred to a new variety of this species a specimen which differs 

 from Kolliker's type mainly in the size of the pinnules. The following are 

 some of the measurements in millimetres : — 



Total length of colony 285 



Length of rachis ...... 225 



Length of stalk ...... 60 



Diameter of stalk ...... 2 



Length of pinnule ..... 5 



Breadth of pinnule . . . . .3*5 



Distance between pinnules .... 4-75 



Diameter of axis ...... 1 



The pinnules are much lai-ger than in the type specimen and bear more 

 polyps. Near the base of the rachis there are about eighteen polyps on one 

 pinnule, five of which are rudimentary, but towards the tip there are twenty-one, 

 four of which are rudimentary. There are about sixty pinnules on each of the 

 para-rachidial surfaces, but towards the base the polyps are separated for almost 

 their entire length, eventually appearing as groups of isolated polyps. The 

 colour pattern is identical with that in <S'. martensii, but in some places, especi- 

 ally on the stalk and lower surface of the pinnules, there is a greater abundance 

 of red spicules. 



The axis is quadrangular in section, the pro- and meta-rachidial surfaces 

 being slightly broader. There is a slight groove on all the sides. In the stalk 

 the axis approaches a cylindrical form. 



The polyps are white and are surrounded by groups of short red spicules 

 which pass up the aboral surface of the tentacles in triangular bands. 



