488 SYDNEY J. HICKSON. 



most closely approximating to the description of C. scoparia. This specimen was obtained 

 by Dr Willey in shallow water off the coast of New Britain. I have recently discovered in 

 a collection made by Mr Bedford at Singapore a specimen of Chironephthya from 10 fathoms 

 of water, which I hope to describe in a future memoir. In Mr Gardiner's collection from 

 the Maldives there are several specimens obtained in water of about 20 fathoms in depth 

 which present several featui-es of particular interest. 



Since the publication of the Challenger reports, then, we have learned firstly that the 

 genus is not confined to deep water, and secondly that it has a wide geographical distribution 

 in the eastern seas. It must also be noted here in anticipation of the special description 

 which follows that notwithstanding certain features in which the species or " facies " resemble 

 one another, there is such a well-marked variability in other important structures that it 

 is extremely difficult to determine even provisionally the range of specific characters. It really 

 becomes a question whether it is more convenient to consider all the specimens hitherto 

 obtained to belong to one widely distributed but very variable species, or to describe almost 

 every specimen that is obtained as a new species. Our knowledge is not yet sufficiently 

 advanced to adopt the former course, and the latter appears to me to be contrary to the 

 general trend of increasing knowledge and quite unscientific. 



Chironephthya variabilis. New species. 

 The specimens collected by Mr Gardiner may be arranged as follows : 



From Mahlos Atoll 20 fiithoms, N.E. Lagoon. Two complete specimens {A, B) and 

 several fragments (C). 



From Mahlos Atoll, 22 fathoms, N. Fainu. One complete specimen {D) and fragment {E). 



From Mahlos Atoll, 23 fathoms. Several fragments {F). 



From S. Nilandu, 24 fiithoms. One complete specimen {G) and some fragments {H). 



There are also smaller fragments from dredgings in nearly all the atolls. 



The sizes of the complete specimens were 



A, 45 mm. in height. 



B, 34 mm. in height. 

 D, 50 mm. in height. 

 G, 65 mm. in height. 



The most striking feature in connection with these specimens is the extraordinary 

 variability in colour. The colour of the spicules of the anthocodiae is usually in marked 

 contrast to that of the general coe©enchym. The spicules of the anthocodiae are arranged 

 in a well-developed circlet round the base of the tentacles, which I shall for brevity call 

 the " crown," and in a triangle guarding the lower part of the aboral surface of the tentacles. 

 These triangles I shall call for the same reason the "points" (Figs. 9 and 10). 



The range of colours is as follows : 



A. General coenenchym speckled red and yellow at the base, yellow in the upper part 

 of the stem and branches, very pale yellow crown and points. 



B. G. C. dark red at the base fading into pink in the upper part of the stem and 

 branches ; crown and points dark pui-ple. 



