86 

 Farrea occa (Bwbk.) Carter. 



1862 Farrea oeca Bowerbank in Phil. Trans. R. Soc, London Vol. CLII, p. 747. 



1885 Carter in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hiet. Ser. 5, Vol. XV, p. 387. 



1887 F. E Schulze in Rep. Voy. Challenger, Hexaotinellida p. 277. 



1895 P. E. Schnlze in Abh. Prensa. Ak. 1895, p. 67. 



1899 F. E. Schnlze Amerikanische Hexaotinelliden, pp. 68, 69. 



The genus Farrea is represented in tlie " Investigator " collection by some 

 small fragments, attached to other sponges, and two larger specimens, one dried 

 and one preserved in spirit. 



The dry specimen has the size of an apple. Its soft parts are in places 

 sufficently preserved to enable one to recognise the microscleres and to determine 

 the species. It is pretty typically developed and in outer appearance to some 

 extent resembles the specimen illustrated by me in the " Challenger"-Hexactinel- 

 lida on plate LXXII, fig. 1. The microscopic structure of its dictyonal skeleton- 

 net and the shape of its isolated spicules so closely correspond to the description 

 there given {Jx. p. 277 ff.) that it suffices here to refer to that account. The 

 only peculiarities noticed by me, which are probably only individual, are the 

 following : — 



The four tangential rays of the dermal pentactines are not distinctly tuber- 

 culous as is the rule in the specimens described by Carter * and myself t but 

 are either quite smooth or covered with very small tubercles only. The dermal 

 clavules are not, as in other specimens, spined on the whole surface but only 

 bear on the terminal, club-shaped thickening several (often four) laterally project- 

 ing thorns. 



The second larger specimen, preserved in spirit, is attached to root-tuft- 

 spicules of Hijalonema as long as a hand and 500-1000 M thick. It has the 

 size of a child's fist and is dichotomously branched and composed of ana- 

 stomosing tubes. Although the greater part of it is so completely macerated 

 that only the dictyonal net is left, the soft parts are sufficiently preserved in 

 other parts to study the isolated spicules. These show that this specimen 

 doubtlessly also belongs to this widely distributed species. 



• 



The dry specimen was found in the Bay of Bengal to the west of the Anda- 

 mans in a depth of 402-489 m.=220-240 f ths. ; the specimens attached to the 

 Hyalonema-basalia, near the Andamans in a depth of 238-458 m.= 130-250 fths. 

 The smaller fragments of dictyonal nets of Farrea spec, have been found in 

 the following localities : 1. west of the Andamans between North and South- 

 Sentinel Island, attached to Gellius, in a depth of 402-439 m. =220-240 fths. ; 



* Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist, ser 5, v. XV, p. 388, pi. XIII. 

 t " Challenger "-Hexactiuellida p. 282 pi. LXXI, f. 6. 



