162 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



spindles, which line the walls of the nutrient canals. The spicules measure : — the spindles 

 0"12-0'02 mm., these are mostly around the nutrient canals; the double clubs 01-0'04 ; 

 0*08-0'04 mm., these are on the surface of the coenenchyma ; the double clubs with few 

 spines from the bodies of the jwlyps measure 0'06-0-02 ; 0-04-0-02 mm.; the stellate 

 forms, the large ones 0-02-0-02 mm.; the small, 0-06-0-06 mm. 



This species seems very nearly related to Raynerclla aurantiaca, Gray, from Bass 

 Strait. 



Habitat. — Station 232, ^^/^Zonema-ground, off Japan ; depth, 345 fathoms ; bottom, 

 green mud. 



Section II. SCLEEAXONIA. 

 Family I. Briareid^. 



Scleraxonia in which the axis consists of spicules. There is a more or less well- 

 marked coenenchyma, in which the polyps are lodged. 



The colony may be either spreading over the surface of foreign substances, or may 

 form upright simple or branching masses, the stems of which are sometimes cylindrical, 

 sometimes broadly channelled. 



The axis may or may not be penetrated by the nutrient canals, and this difference 

 serves to divide the family into the two subfamilies of Briareinse and Spongioderminse. 



Subfamily 1. Briarein^. 

 Genus Suheria, Studer. 



Suheria, Studer, Monatsber. d. k. preuss. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 666, October 1878. 



Colony simple or branched, erect. Axis consisting of spindle-shaped spicules, not 

 agglutinated together, and some horny material ; traversed by the nutrient canals. 

 Coenenchyma thick, containing spiny spindle-shaped sj)icules. Polyps retractile within 

 well-marked verrucee ; standing at right angles to the stem and branches. The polyp 

 spicules are long and bent spindles. 



This genus was established by Studer for Suheria koUikeri, from the north of New 

 Zealand, in 90 fathoms, and for Suheria clavaria, from the east coast of South America. 

 In some respects this genus resembles the genus Solenocaulon, which was established by 

 Dr. Gray for Solenocaulon tortuosum, from North-west Australia. Genth's species, Soleno- 

 caulon tuhulosum, came from the Philippines, while a third species, Suheria grayi, is 

 described {loc. cit., p. 668) by Studer, also from North-west Australia (Mermaid Straits). 



Dr. Studer emended Dr. Gray's diagnosis of Solenocaulon so as to include his 

 new species. KoUiker would apparently confine the genus to species with flattened. 



