﻿SrONGIIDA. 
  409 
  

  

  40. 
  Reniera 
  aquaeductiis. 
  

  

  Reniera 
  aqufeductus, 
  Schmidt, 
  Spong. 
  Adr. 
  Meer. 
  p. 
  73, 
  pi. 
  vii. 
  figs. 
  

   (), 
  Ga, 
  (Sb. 
  

  

  Tvro 
  specimens, 
  65 
  and 
  70 
  millim. 
  (2| 
  and 
  2| 
  inches) 
  long, 
  

   branched, 
  forming 
  very 
  thick-walled 
  tubes 
  which 
  open 
  at 
  the 
  ex- 
  

   tremities 
  of 
  the 
  branches, 
  appear 
  to 
  represent 
  this 
  species. 
  The 
  

   branches 
  and 
  stem 
  are 
  somewhat 
  irregular 
  in 
  outline, 
  and 
  decidedly 
  

   compressed 
  antero-posteriorly 
  ; 
  their 
  surface 
  is 
  rendered 
  uneven 
  by 
  

   very 
  low, 
  almost 
  obsolete 
  ridges 
  or 
  eminences, 
  though 
  it 
  is 
  smooth 
  

   between 
  these 
  ; 
  maximum 
  diameter 
  of 
  stem 
  and 
  branches 
  7 
  to 
  12 
  

   millim., 
  that 
  of 
  lumen 
  of 
  tube 
  3 
  to 
  4 
  millim. 
  Texture 
  in 
  spirit 
  

   firm, 
  slightly 
  compressible, 
  moderately 
  tough 
  ; 
  normal 
  colour 
  appa- 
  

   rently 
  a 
  pale 
  brownish 
  grey. 
  Main 
  skeleton 
  — 
  a 
  rather 
  irregular 
  

   network 
  of 
  primary 
  and 
  secondary 
  spiculo-fibres, 
  about 
  4 
  to 
  6 
  

   spicules 
  broad, 
  with 
  much 
  interstitial 
  1- 
  or 
  2-serial 
  spicular 
  network; 
  

   dermal 
  skeleton 
  composed 
  of 
  long 
  compact 
  spiculo-fibres, 
  6 
  to 
  12 
  

   spicules 
  broad. 
  8arcode 
  pale 
  yellowish, 
  slightly 
  granular. 
  Spi- 
  

   cules 
  chiefly 
  smooth 
  acerate, 
  curved, 
  tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  

   points 
  from 
  about 
  four 
  diameters 
  from 
  ends, 
  or 
  subacuate, 
  tapering 
  

   somewhat 
  to 
  the 
  rounded 
  end, 
  or 
  strictly 
  acuate 
  with 
  well-rounded 
  

   head; 
  size 
  *17 
  to 
  '19 
  by 
  •Oil 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Port 
  Darwin, 
  between 
  tide-marks. 
  

  

  Distribution. 
  Adriatic 
  (Schmidt); 
  Black 
  Sea 
  (Czeniiavsly). 
  

  

  The 
  Adriatic 
  form 
  has 
  a 
  decided 
  tough 
  uniting 
  material 
  between 
  

   tjie 
  ends 
  of 
  the 
  spicules, 
  and 
  the 
  tube 
  is 
  relatively 
  wider 
  in 
  the 
  speci- 
  

   men 
  figured 
  by 
  Schmidt, 
  otherwise 
  the 
  two 
  forms 
  appear 
  to 
  agree. 
  

   I 
  find 
  the 
  spicules 
  in 
  a 
  slide 
  obtained 
  from 
  Prof. 
  Schmidt 
  to 
  measure 
  

   •19 
  by 
  -0095 
  millim. 
  in 
  average 
  maximum 
  dimensions 
  ; 
  he 
  himself 
  

   gives 
  (Atl. 
  Geb. 
  p. 
  40) 
  •16852 
  millim. 
  for 
  the 
  length. 
  

  

  "Reniera, 
  yellow" 
  of 
  Carter 
  (Ann. 
  N. 
  H. 
  (5) 
  vi. 
  p. 
  48, 
  pi. 
  v. 
  

   fig. 
  17), 
  from 
  Ceylon, 
  is 
  probably 
  not 
  far 
  from 
  this 
  species, 
  but 
  the 
  

   spicule 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  about 
  half 
  as 
  stout 
  again 
  as 
  here. 
  

  

  41. 
  Eeniera 
  testudinaria. 
  (Pla.te 
  XXXIX. 
  fig. 
  D 
  ; 
  

   Plate 
  XLI. 
  figs. 
  t(, 
  u'.) 
  

  

  Alcyoniimi 
  testudinarium, 
  Lamarck, 
  Mem. 
  Mus. 
  Hist. 
  Nat. 
  i. 
  p. 
  1G7. 
  

  

  One 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  specimens 
  originally 
  formed 
  part 
  of 
  a 
  much 
  

   larger 
  one, 
  probably 
  as 
  much 
  as 
  6 
  inches 
  long 
  by 
  6 
  broad 
  by 
  2h 
  

   thick, 
  covered 
  with 
  prominent 
  jagged 
  ridges 
  ; 
  the 
  other 
  is 
  a 
  fine 
  

   cup-shaped 
  form, 
  with 
  wide 
  mouth, 
  thin 
  edges, 
  the 
  ridges 
  onl}' 
  ap- 
  

   pearing 
  near 
  the 
  base. 
  The 
  skeleton-fibre 
  is 
  stout, 
  strong, 
  poly- 
  

   spicular, 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  Renierid 
  type 
  ; 
  it 
  is 
  composed 
  of 
  stout, 
  smooth, 
  

   cylindrical 
  spicules, 
  rounded 
  at 
  each 
  end, 
  sometimes 
  tapering 
  some- 
  

   what 
  to 
  the 
  ends, 
  and 
  of 
  a 
  small 
  number 
  of 
  smaller 
  acerate 
  forms, 
  

   tapering 
  suddenly 
  to 
  their 
  points 
  ; 
  average 
  maximum 
  size 
  about 
  -32 
  

   by 
  •OIG 
  millim. 
  

  

  The 
  species 
  belongs 
  to 
  that 
  group 
  of 
  l{enierida> 
  which 
  ^Ir. 
  Carter, 
  

   in 
  his 
  "Xotes 
  Introductory 
  to 
  the 
  Study 
  and 
  Classification 
  of 
  the 
  

  

  