﻿408 
  COLLECTIONS 
  FROM 
  MELANESIA, 
  

  

  genus. 
  The 
  first 
  species, 
  Suberites 
  typus, 
  Nardo, 
  does 
  not 
  appear 
  to 
  

   have 
  been 
  recognized 
  by 
  authors 
  ; 
  the 
  nest 
  is 
  Alcyonium 
  domuncula 
  

   of 
  Olivi, 
  the 
  Rpneniacidon 
  suberea 
  of 
  Bowerbank, 
  the 
  spiculation 
  of 
  

   which 
  consists 
  of 
  a 
  simple 
  spinulate. 
  Even 
  if 
  we 
  include 
  in 
  the 
  genus 
  

   the 
  third 
  species, 
  Suberites 
  Jlcus, 
  Nardo 
  (probably 
  the 
  Hymeniacidon 
  

   Jicus 
  of 
  Bowerbank), 
  which 
  possesses, 
  in 
  addition 
  to 
  the 
  spinulate, 
  a 
  

   cylindrical 
  flcsh-spicule 
  with 
  a 
  central 
  inflation, 
  those 
  free 
  compact 
  

   Suberitidae, 
  with 
  skeleton 
  spinulate, 
  whose 
  flesh-spiculc 
  is 
  a 
  modified 
  

   stellate 
  ("spinispirula,"' 
  Carter), 
  cannotbe 
  admitted 
  to 
  the 
  same 
  fellow- 
  

   ship, 
  and 
  Schmidt's 
  genus 
  SpirastreUa 
  must 
  receive 
  all 
  such. 
  Besides 
  

   Spirastrella 
  cunctatrix 
  and 
  vidua, 
  Schmidt, 
  Hymeniacidon 
  angidafa, 
  

   Bowerbank, 
  Alcyonium 
  purptireum, 
  Lamarck, 
  and 
  several 
  other 
  

   species 
  enumerated 
  by 
  Mr. 
  Carter 
  in 
  his 
  valuable 
  " 
  List 
  of 
  Suberites 
  " 
  

   lately 
  published 
  (Ann, 
  & 
  Mag, 
  N. 
  H. 
  1882, 
  ix, 
  p, 
  349 
  and 
  following 
  

   pages) 
  must 
  be 
  included 
  in 
  the 
  genus. 
  To 
  any 
  one 
  who 
  has 
  noticed 
  

   the 
  practical 
  identity 
  in 
  spiculation 
  between 
  typical 
  S])irastrellce 
  and 
  

   numerous 
  species 
  of 
  Vioa 
  (e. 
  g, 
  jolinstoni, 
  Schmidt, 
  and 
  several 
  de- 
  

   scribed 
  by 
  Hancock 
  as 
  Cliome), 
  it 
  must 
  be 
  a 
  matter 
  for 
  serious 
  

   consideration 
  whether 
  the 
  boring 
  habit 
  and 
  that 
  general 
  arrange- 
  

   ment 
  of 
  their 
  tissues 
  which 
  is 
  expressed 
  by 
  Mr, 
  Carter 
  by 
  the 
  term 
  

   Laxa, 
  which 
  he 
  has 
  applied 
  to 
  the 
  group 
  in 
  which 
  he 
  places 
  Cliona 
  and 
  

   Vioa, 
  are 
  of 
  sufficient 
  importance 
  to 
  justify 
  their 
  being 
  kept 
  distinct 
  

   from 
  their 
  non-boring 
  allies, 
  the 
  SpirastreUce. 
  To 
  me 
  it 
  seems 
  very 
  

   possible 
  that 
  they 
  may 
  some 
  day 
  be 
  demonstrated 
  to 
  possess 
  a 
  free 
  

   state, 
  corresponding 
  to 
  PainUina 
  suberea, 
  Schmidt 
  {=^Bhaphyrus 
  

   yriffithsii, 
  Bowerbank), 
  which 
  Mr. 
  Carter 
  has 
  found 
  to 
  be 
  merely 
  

   the 
  free 
  condition 
  of 
  Vioa 
  ( 
  Cliona) 
  celaia 
  ; 
  such 
  a 
  fi'ee 
  state 
  should 
  

   be 
  carefully 
  watched 
  for, 
  

  

  98, 
  Spirastrella 
  vagabunda. 
  (Plate 
  XLIII. 
  figs, 
  e, 
  e.) 
  

  

  " 
  Suberites, 
  ? 
  sp. 
  undesciibed. 
  Trincomalee."* 
  Carter, 
  Ann. 
  8,- 
  Mag. 
  

   N. 
  H. 
  1882, 
  ix. 
  p. 
  352. 
  

  

  Massive, 
  attached 
  by 
  broad 
  base, 
  tending 
  to 
  grow 
  up 
  into 
  large 
  

   nodular 
  elevations, 
  which 
  may 
  bear 
  one 
  or 
  more 
  vents. 
  General 
  

   surface 
  slightly 
  verrucose 
  (in 
  spirit), 
  more 
  so 
  in 
  large 
  dry 
  specimens, 
  

   smooth 
  over 
  and 
  between 
  inequalities 
  of 
  surface. 
  Colour 
  (in 
  dry 
  

   state) 
  pale 
  to 
  dark 
  yellowish 
  brown, 
  in 
  spirit 
  olive 
  greenish 
  brown. 
  

   Vents 
  of 
  two 
  kinds 
  : 
  — 
  (1) 
  At 
  summit 
  of 
  the 
  large 
  elevations 
  of 
  

   surface, 
  one 
  or 
  more 
  (sometimes 
  5 
  to 
  8) 
  on 
  each 
  ; 
  opening 
  level 
  with 
  

   surface 
  ; 
  suboval 
  in 
  uncontracted 
  state, 
  2 
  to 
  10 
  millim. 
  in 
  greatest 
  

   diameter, 
  leading 
  into 
  wide 
  and 
  deep 
  excretory 
  canals, 
  (2) 
  On 
  

   general 
  surface 
  of 
  sponge, 
  usually 
  between 
  the 
  lesser 
  inequalities 
  of 
  

   the 
  surface, 
  subcircular, 
  with 
  thickened 
  margins, 
  about 
  -8 
  millim. 
  in 
  

   average 
  diameter, 
  

  

  * 
  In 
  the 
  Trincomalee 
  specimen 
  described 
  by 
  Mr, 
  Carter 
  the 
  vents 
  are 
  not 
  

   placed 
  at 
  the 
  apices 
  of 
  the 
  lobes 
  of 
  the 
  sponge, 
  the 
  adult 
  spicule 
  is 
  scarcely 
  

   spinulate 
  at 
  all, 
  and 
  measures 
  only 
  "0127 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  and 
  the 
  spini- 
  

   spirulse 
  appear 
  to 
  be 
  scarce. 
  For 
  these 
  reasons 
  it 
  appears 
  desirable 
  to 
  distinguish 
  

   it 
  under 
  the 
  name 
  S. 
  vagabunda, 
  var. 
  trincomaliensis. 
  

  

  