﻿4-i4 
  COLLECXIONS 
  FROM 
  MELANESIA, 
  

  

  but 
  fibre 
  more 
  constantly 
  stout 
  ; 
  thickness 
  from 
  -07 
  to 
  2 
  millim. 
  ; 
  

   meshes 
  narrower, 
  viz. 
  "09 
  to 
  '7 
  millim. 
  in 
  smaller 
  diameter, 
  and 
  

   bearing 
  short 
  bhint 
  processes 
  at 
  intervals, 
  echiuated 
  by 
  thick 
  tufts 
  

   of 
  the 
  smooth 
  subspinulate 
  spicule 
  on 
  its 
  upper 
  surface, 
  Sarcode 
  

   very 
  dark 
  yellowish 
  brown, 
  granular 
  and 
  opaque. 
  

  

  Spicules: 
  — 
  (1) 
  Stouter, 
  smooth, 
  subspinulate 
  acuate, 
  straight, 
  

   with 
  very 
  slight 
  constriction 
  marking 
  off 
  a 
  short 
  head, 
  which 
  is 
  

   less 
  in 
  diameter 
  than 
  the 
  middle 
  of 
  the 
  shaft 
  ; 
  shaft 
  tapering 
  

   gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  point 
  from 
  about 
  centre 
  ; 
  size 
  '2'3 
  by 
  "0127 
  millim, 
  : 
  

   in 
  tufts 
  on 
  dermal 
  skeleton. 
  (2) 
  Slender, 
  smooth, 
  spinulate, 
  

   with 
  slight 
  oval 
  head, 
  nearly 
  straight 
  ; 
  tapering 
  to 
  sharp 
  point 
  

   from 
  near 
  centre 
  ; 
  size 
  'So 
  by 
  -0085 
  millim. 
  : 
  forming 
  axis 
  of 
  

   skeleton-fibres. 
  (3) 
  Subspinulate 
  spined 
  acuate, 
  with 
  small 
  glo- 
  

   bular 
  head, 
  and 
  tapering 
  to 
  a 
  fine 
  point 
  from 
  about 
  centre 
  ; 
  spines 
  

   numerous, 
  sharp, 
  projecting 
  at 
  right 
  angles 
  to 
  long 
  axis 
  of 
  spicule, 
  

   prominent 
  on 
  middle 
  of 
  spicule 
  and 
  sometimes 
  on 
  head, 
  becoming 
  

   obsolescent 
  in 
  the 
  other 
  parts 
  ; 
  size 
  -09 
  by 
  -0079 
  millim, 
  : 
  echinating 
  

   the 
  skeleton-fibres. 
  (4) 
  Tricurvate 
  acerate 
  of 
  sarcode, 
  smooth, 
  sharp- 
  

   pointed 
  ; 
  curves 
  gentle 
  ; 
  size 
  about 
  '063 
  by 
  -0015 
  millim, 
  (5) 
  Navi- 
  

   cular 
  equianchorate 
  ; 
  shaft 
  slender, 
  slightly 
  curved 
  ; 
  length 
  about 
  

   •Jl27 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hab. 
  Thursday 
  Island, 
  Torres 
  Straits, 
  3-4 
  fms., 
  bottom 
  sand 
  ; 
  

   also 
  same 
  locality, 
  probably 
  from 
  beach. 
  

  

  Two 
  specimens, 
  agreeing 
  closely 
  in 
  their 
  characters, 
  represent 
  the 
  

   species 
  ; 
  heights 
  70 
  and 
  85 
  millim. 
  (24 
  and 
  3|- 
  inches) 
  respectively 
  ; 
  

   expanse 
  of 
  branches 
  30 
  and 
  20 
  millim. 
  respectively. 
  It 
  agrees 
  

   closely 
  in 
  character 
  of 
  spiculation 
  with 
  C. 
  ulmus, 
  Vosmaer 
  (JNTotes 
  

   Roy, 
  Mus. 
  Netherl, 
  ii. 
  p. 
  151), 
  of 
  which 
  the 
  locality 
  is 
  not 
  stated 
  ; 
  

   but 
  the 
  stem 
  is 
  single 
  and 
  not 
  ramified 
  as 
  stated 
  by 
  Vosmaer, 
  who 
  

   does 
  not 
  mention 
  the 
  most 
  striking 
  external 
  characteristic 
  of 
  this 
  

   species, 
  viz. 
  its 
  strong 
  aculeation 
  by 
  long 
  pointed 
  processes. 
  I 
  know 
  

   of 
  no 
  other 
  species 
  which 
  approaches 
  it 
  at 
  all 
  closely. 
  

  

  75. 
  Clathria 
  tuberosa. 
  (Plate 
  XLII. 
  fig, 
  d.) 
  

   Microciona 
  tuberosa, 
  Botverhank, 
  P. 
  Z. 
  S. 
  1875, 
  p. 
  :?81. 
  

  

  The 
  specimens 
  are 
  finer 
  than 
  those 
  in 
  the 
  Bowerbankian 
  collec- 
  

   tion 
  ; 
  the 
  largest 
  measures 
  70 
  millim. 
  (2f 
  inches) 
  in 
  greatest 
  dia- 
  

   meter, 
  and 
  5U 
  millim. 
  (2 
  inches) 
  in 
  greatest 
  height 
  ; 
  the 
  individual 
  

   lobes 
  may 
  measure 
  as 
  much 
  as 
  14 
  millim. 
  in 
  greatest 
  diameter. 
  

   The 
  "skeleton 
  columns" 
  {Bovjerhanh) 
  are 
  even 
  more 
  strongly 
  

   arenated 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  type 
  specimen, 
  and 
  resemble 
  those 
  of 
  a 
  Dysidea, 
  

   the 
  projecting 
  ends 
  of 
  the 
  spined 
  and 
  fine 
  smooth 
  acuate 
  being 
  the 
  

   only 
  point 
  of 
  difference 
  which 
  appears 
  at 
  first 
  sight. 
  The 
  propor- 
  

   tions 
  of 
  the 
  spicules 
  differ 
  slightly 
  from 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  Malacca 
  speci- 
  

   mens 
  as 
  given 
  by 
  me 
  (P. 
  Z. 
  S. 
  1881, 
  p. 
  121 
  )*, 
  viz. 
  : 
  — 
  

  

  * 
  The 
  lenglli 
  of 
  the 
  equianc-horate 
  should 
  have 
  been 
  stated 
  there 
  as 
  01 
  fi 
  

   millirti., 
  and 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  slender 
  smooth 
  acuate 
  described 
  as 
  slightly 
  inflated. 
  

  

  