ON MERLIA XOKMANI. 673 



For the inve3tii>-ation of the skeleton specimens were 

 macerated in Eau de Javelle, and vertical and horizontal 

 sections ground down, and some examples were incinerated. 

 To the naked eye the surface of a macerated-out skeleton or 

 of a dried specimen like that encrusting the Dendrophyllia 

 (Pi. 32, fig. 5, 5a) has a very finely porous appeai-ance, the 

 rneshes being barely visible. 



The meshes are about '18 to "22 m.m. in total diameter, i.e. 

 four and a fraction to a millimetre, the actual spaces or holes 



Text-pig. 3. 



w5 mm^ J X • • 



Surface of calcareous skeleton. The large dark circle is the 

 mouth of a worm-tube, x about 40. 



being about '12 to "IS mm. across, and the walls about "04 to 

 •06 inm. thick. The number of tubercles round a mesh varies 

 from four to seven or eight, five or six being the average 

 number. Occasionally two meshes are combined into one 

 laro-er oval one, with ten to twelve tubercles. 



The tubercles are about 75 /z high and 75 u broad at the 

 base, and are covered with very minute sharp-pointed couules 

 about 10 ju high and 16 fx broad at the base, but varying both in 

 shape and size. The point of the conule is generally nipple- 

 shaped and may lean over a little to one side. Again the 



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