309 



increases in thickness from below upwards and ends l)Inntly. The polyps 

 occur all over the rachis but apparently with no regular arrangement. They 

 are completely retractile within fairly definite verruca formed by longitudinally 

 disposed spicules arranged in four groups which terminate in four triangular 

 points. The verruciv resemble elongateil swallow-nests ; some jjroject markedly, 

 but others, especially in the lower part, owing to internal contraction, are 

 sunk into jjit-like depi-essions and are almost level with the coinenchyma. 

 Siphonozooids fill up the interstices so that no bare streak is left. The spicules 

 form a dense armature on the rachis especially around the polyps ; they are 

 also very abundant in the cutis of the stalk. The following are some of the 

 typical measurements length by breadth in millimetres :— 



(A) Stalk :— 



('/) Rough scales, some with comparatively regular edges, 02 x 009 ; 



015 X 00<j ; 01 X 005 ; 008 x 003. 

 (//) Scales with very ragged edges and covered with small warts, 



0-2 X 01 ; 014 X 01 ; 01 x 00(3. 



(B) l^chis— These are smooth ; they are typically spindles and cylinders, 

 but many divergent forms arise by branching : — 



(^0 Spindles, 0-3 x 0-03 ; 0-26 x 0-02. 



{b) Cylinders, 0-25 x 0-025 ; 0-2 x 0-02. 



{r) Irregular forms, 045 x O'OG ; 0-4 x 0-06 ; 0-3 x 0-04 ; 0-2 x 003. 

 The general colour of the colony is light lirown, but the siphonozooids 

 stud it with blue. 



Locality : Unknown, Marine Survey. 



GENUS LITUARIA, Val. 



Lituaria phalloides, [Pallas]. 



We have referred to this species several colonies which agree on the whole 

 with Kolliker's description, though exhibiting certain differences noted below. 

 The following are the measurements of some of the colonies in millimetres :— 



Total length of colony 

 Length of rachis 

 Maximum breadth of rachis 

 Thickness of stalk 



The colonies gradually increase in thickness from below upwards and 

 terminate bluntly. None of the specimens are so robust as that described by 

 Kolhker. The rachis is almost quadrangular and the polyps are distributed 

 apparently all round. The coenenchyma appears pitted, especially in the younger 

 foi'uis, owing to the depressions in the axis in which the polyps are embedded. 

 The general colour is white (except in one colony where it is light brown), but 



