234 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



The skeleton is very like that of a Raspailia but for the 

 absence of spongin and of spined styli. 

 R.N. 1006 (x B). 



Axinella pilifera, Cartel*. 



Axinella pilifera, Carter, A.M.N.H., November, 1885, p. 362. 



It is with some little hesitation that I identify with this 

 species four specimens varying from massive to coral-like in 

 external form. The surface is cactiform and glabrous, minutely 

 reticulate between the conuli. The texture is very soft and 

 spongy, and there is a scanty skeleton of stout horny fibre 

 containing oxeote spicules which measure about - 33 by 0'008 

 mm., and which are sometimes arranged in a typically axinellid 

 fashion. The fibres end in the conuli. The specimens are 

 very opaque, owing to the development of immense numbers of 

 granular pigment cells. The colour in spirit is pale yellow. 



R.N. 463 (s. 9, 20 f . ; (" ochraceous-buff ") ; 493 (s. 10, 8 £.; 

 "orange ochraceous "); 904 (s. 10); 1109 (x C). 



B.M. sp. 62 {« Axinella pilif era, C. Type;" Reg. 86-12-15-135). 



Axinella solida, Carter. 



Axinella solida, Carter, A.M.N.H., November, 1885, p. 362. 



This species has a sessile, spreading or proliferously lamellar 

 habit, with conulose surface. The columnar structure, due to 

 the plumose skeleton fibres, is very characteristic. The spicules 

 are stylote, varying much in size. 



R.N 731 (xB; "wax-yellow"); 738 (x B ; "orange"); 890 

 (s. 9); 1158. 



{B.M. sp. 61, labelled " Axinella solida" and registered 86-12- 

 15-59, contains sigmata and trichodragmata, and is evidently 

 wrongly named ; indeed, Mr. Kirkpatrick informs me that Mr. 

 Carter suggests its being re-examined. It is a specimen of 

 Sigmaxinella flabellatd). 



Axinella meloniformis, Carter. 



Axinella meloniformis, Carter, A.M.N. H., November, 1885, 

 p. 362. 



The original type was globular, sessile, ridged like a melon, 

 but it was very small and may well have been young. All the 



