﻿sroNGiiDA. 
  459 
  

  

  tered 
  over 
  surface 
  of 
  fibres, 
  and 
  aggregated 
  into 
  tufts 
  at 
  the 
  ends 
  of 
  

   the 
  primary 
  fibres. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Warrior 
  lieef, 
  Torres 
  Straits 
  (apparently 
  from 
  beach). 
  

  

  A 
  single 
  dry 
  specimen 
  ; 
  extreme 
  height 
  410 
  millim. 
  (16t 
  inches), 
  

   extreme 
  diameter 
  480 
  millim. 
  (I'JA 
  inches). 
  This 
  species 
  resembles 
  

   E. 
  bilamellatum 
  in 
  the 
  regularity 
  of 
  its 
  skeleton 
  and 
  the 
  compact- 
  

   ness 
  of 
  its 
  fibre. 
  In 
  outward 
  appearance 
  in 
  the 
  macerated 
  condi- 
  

   tion, 
  however, 
  it 
  has 
  more 
  the 
  aspect 
  of 
  the 
  Arabian 
  form 
  nervosum 
  ; 
  

   but 
  in 
  this 
  species 
  the 
  frond 
  is 
  only 
  incipicntly 
  reticulate 
  and 
  the 
  

   branches 
  are 
  much 
  stouter. 
  It 
  diff'ers 
  markedly 
  from 
  both 
  in 
  the 
  

   great 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  echiuating 
  spicule, 
  almost 
  half 
  as 
  long 
  again 
  as 
  

   in 
  those 
  species. 
  

  

  87. 
  Raspailia 
  bifurcata. 
  (Plate 
  XL. 
  fig. 
  J 
  ; 
  

   Plate 
  XLII. 
  figs. 
  I, 
  I'.) 
  

  

  Erect, 
  arborescent 
  ; 
  stem 
  short, 
  3-4 
  millim. 
  thick, 
  branching 
  di- 
  

   chotomously 
  and 
  frequently, 
  in 
  planes 
  usually 
  at 
  right 
  angles 
  to 
  

   each 
  other 
  and 
  at 
  angles 
  of 
  30° 
  to 
  40^; 
  terminal 
  branches 
  pointed, 
  

   tapering 
  to 
  points 
  from 
  a 
  thickness 
  at 
  origin 
  of 
  1 
  to 
  1*25 
  millim. 
  

   Stem 
  and 
  branches 
  approximately 
  cylindrical. 
  Surface 
  minutely 
  

   hispid 
  with 
  sliarp 
  filiform 
  points, 
  abotit 
  "3 
  millim. 
  high 
  and 
  the 
  same 
  

   distance 
  apart. 
  Texture 
  (in 
  spirit) 
  of 
  stem 
  and 
  branches 
  hard, 
  

   woody, 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  tips 
  of 
  terminal 
  branches 
  soft 
  and 
  flexible 
  ; 
  

   colour 
  of 
  stem 
  and 
  lower 
  branches 
  purple, 
  of 
  terminal 
  branches 
  

   "white. 
  Main 
  skeleton 
  composed 
  of 
  longitudinally 
  arranged, 
  sub- 
  

   parallel 
  loose 
  bundles 
  of 
  the 
  long 
  acuates, 
  accompanied 
  l)y 
  about 
  the 
  

   same 
  amount 
  of 
  the 
  acerate, 
  covered 
  and 
  united 
  by 
  a 
  considerable 
  

   amount 
  of 
  pale 
  purple 
  tenacious 
  material 
  ; 
  the 
  bundles 
  anastomose 
  

   freely 
  by 
  convergence 
  at 
  small 
  angles 
  ; 
  diameter 
  ranging 
  from 
  about 
  

   •28 
  millim. 
  in 
  stem 
  to 
  -05 
  millim. 
  in 
  tips 
  of 
  branches 
  ; 
  surface 
  

   sparsely 
  covered 
  by 
  the 
  spined 
  acuate 
  scattered 
  over 
  it. 
  Xo 
  distinct 
  

   dermis 
  ; 
  the 
  surface 
  is 
  eehinated 
  at 
  right 
  angles 
  by 
  tufts, 
  each 
  com- 
  

   posed 
  of 
  one 
  or 
  more 
  long 
  acuates 
  : 
  spicules 
  projecting 
  from 
  a 
  conical 
  

   mass 
  of 
  purple 
  tenacious 
  substance. 
  Sarcode 
  very 
  pale 
  purphsh, 
  

   transparent. 
  Spicules 
  : 
  — 
  (1) 
  Skeleton 
  acuate, 
  smooth, 
  base 
  well 
  

   rounded, 
  tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  points 
  (more 
  rapidly 
  near 
  end); 
  

   size 
  about 
  1-2 
  by 
  -0127 
  millim. 
  (2) 
  Skeleton 
  acerate, 
  smooth, 
  

   slightly 
  curved, 
  tapering 
  to 
  sharp 
  points 
  from 
  about 
  six 
  diameters 
  

   from 
  ends 
  ; 
  size 
  about 
  '5 
  to 
  -7 
  by 
  -0095 
  millim. 
  (3) 
  Echinating 
  

   acuate 
  of 
  dermal 
  tufts, 
  as 
  (1), 
  but 
  measuring 
  -022 
  millim. 
  in 
  thick- 
  

   ness. 
  (4) 
  Spined 
  cylindrical, 
  tapering 
  gradually 
  from 
  well-rounded 
  

   base 
  to 
  blunt 
  distal 
  end, 
  thickly 
  and 
  equably 
  spined 
  ; 
  spines 
  fine, 
  

   sharp, 
  those 
  of 
  distal 
  part 
  of 
  spicule 
  recurvate 
  ; 
  size 
  -09 
  by 
  '0079. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Prince 
  of 
  Wales 
  Channel, 
  Torres 
  Straits, 
  5-7 
  fms. 
  ; 
  bottom, 
  

   shells 
  and 
  sand. 
  

  

  The 
  specimen 
  on 
  which 
  the 
  species 
  is 
  based 
  is 
  53 
  millim. 
  (2 
  inches) 
  

   high 
  and 
  24 
  millim. 
  across. 
  The 
  species 
  much 
  resembles 
  Dictijo- 
  

   cyUndrus 
  pikei, 
  Carter, 
  from 
  Mauritius, 
  in 
  form, 
  but, 
  as 
  we 
  have 
  

   seen, 
  that 
  species 
  is 
  referable 
  to 
  Echinodicti/uin. 
  

  

  