218 I. IJIMA : HEXACTINELLIDA. I. 



mass of the basal tuft is exactly the same as in E. marshalli. 

 The bulky basal mass, 115 mm. long, includes sand, pebbles and 

 fragments of shells, etc., among its fibers, indicating the character 

 of the sea-bottom. 



The external surface, though much damaged, may safely be 

 said to be tolerably even. Parietal ledges, if at all recognizably 

 developed, must have been rather insignificant and of only oc- 

 casional occurrence. A small portion of the cuff, 2' '2 mm. in 

 widtli, remained to the specimen. In all these respects and in 

 the appearance of the sieve-plate, the resemblance to E. oweni 

 must be said to be very close indeed. The same is true of the 

 essential points in the spiculation. 



Of the skeletal framework I have counted 40 circular and 

 3G longitudinal beams. The principalia to both these beams are 

 large oxystauractins. In the sieve-plate beams, they are mostly 

 represented by oxydiactins. Let it also be expressly mentioned 

 that the oscularia are mainly compass-needle-like diactins as in 

 E. oweni. The basal ancJioring .•spicules likewise exactly as in 

 that species. The dermalia of the usual shape have the distal 

 hilt-ray ()0-160,« long and O-O'^/^ broad near the sjMCular 

 center. 



The floricomes measure Dl « in average diameter. GrapMo- 

 comes in intact condition have not been found ; but their presence 

 is not to be doubted, since the rhaphidial terminals occur here 

 and there near the external surface in the usual disposition, 

 though not in great numbers. 



Now wliat constitutes the characteristic feature of this 

 species is the somewhat unique appearance presented by the 

 oxyhexasters. These are very^abundant everywhere in the wall. 

 Compared with those of E. oweni, they are decidedly larger, 



