820 SYDNEY J. HICKSON. 



As regards Juncella fragilis, Ridley himself felt doubtful whether it was a good species. 

 Probably it is a young form of J. juncea. It is unbranched. 



Juncella flexilis may also be but a young form of another species. It is unbranched, 

 dark-red in colour, and distinguished by its slender axis and thin coenenchym. The verrucae 

 are arranged in two rows on the lower part of the stem, but in the upper parts are not so 

 restricted. 



Juncella spiralis is of relatively small size when compared with the larger specimens of 

 Juncella juncea and J. gemmacea, and is distinguished by the pronounced single bare track 

 and by the spiral form. 



Juncella elongata, J. maculata and J. calamus were formerly placed in the genus Ellisella 

 and agree in having no typical club-shaped spicules. 



J. elongata is a large, branching species, very similar to J. gemmacea in form. It may be 

 red or pale pinkish-yellow. The surface may be smooth (Studer) or the verrucae very promi- 

 nent (Ridley). 



It is very difficult to distinguish J. maculata from J. elongata. The specimen described 

 by Studer was only 25 cm. long. The colour was orange-red, with the coenenchym immediately 

 suiTounding the verrucae red. 



J. calamus may be but a variety of the same species. It was found in the same dredging 

 as J. maculata, and the only material feature in which it differs from it is that in the lower 

 part the verrucae are arranged in five rows. It is unbranched. 



J. barbadensis and J. racemosa are both from deep water and appear to be quite distinct 

 species. The former seems to be related to J. flexilis, but may be distinguished by the very 

 long peduncles of the verrucae and the larger size of the club-shaped spicules. 



J. racemosa is distinguished by the peculiar and exceptional method of its branching. 



Juncella juncea, Pallas. 



Localities. S. Nilandu. W. passage of Atoll, 25 fathoms (Spec. A). N. Male Atoll, 20 

 fathoms, W. of Atoll. Across a passage (Spec. B). 



Specimen A was fragmentary, 70 mm. long, 5 mm. in diameter. Colour dark-red. The 

 verrucae project but slightly and are about 1'3 mm. in length and breadth. They are directed 

 towards the apex. 



The spicules are clubs and very spiny double clubs, the former about 0"! x 0'025 mm., the 

 latter O'l x 005 mm. There are no spindles or double stars. The spicules of this specimen are 

 very similar to those figured by Kolliker. 



Specimen B is 370 mm. long and about 5 mm. in diameter. It was not branched. Colour 

 dark-red. Verrucae numerous, projecting, turned towards apex. The spicules are very similar 

 to those of Specimen A. 



It is impossible to determine whether these specimens are more correctly placed in this 

 species or in the species J. gemmacea, but as there is no sign of ramification I have placed 

 them with J. juncea. 



