THOMSON AND MACKINNON — STOLONIFEEA, ETC. 181 



The largest specimen has a width of 6 cm. across its widest part, with a maximum 

 height of about 3 cm. The intensely harsh, resistant colonies bear a deceptive resem- 

 blance to low-growing forms of Sclerophytum gardineri. A shallow, somewhat wrinkled 

 stalk portion supports a broad low capitulura covered with digitiform lobes, which are 

 generally simple, but bear in some cases secondary smaller lobes. Over the whole 

 surface of the capitulum, both on the lobes and in the depressions between them, there 

 are very numerous closely-crowded minute polyps. The polyps have well-defined, 

 non-retractile, club-shaped calyces, 1-25 mm. in length, which are bent in towards the 

 axis of the lobe, so that their oral opening is hidden. The tentacles are infolded and 

 give the mouth an 8-lobed margin. 



The most striking feature of the colony is the enormous development of spicules in 

 the canal-walls ; in the lower part of the stalk they attain dimensions of nearly 3 mm. 

 They occur from the base of the colony right up into the tips of the lobes. They are 

 flattened, but thick, oblong and irregular bodies, covered with numerous roughly 

 parallel tuberculate ridges, which run out from a middle line towards the margins, where 

 they produce a sort of " scalloped " outline. They often resemble the otoliths of Gadoid 

 fishes. The following measurements were taken of length and breadth in millimetres : — 

 2-89 X -735, 1-81 X -68, 1-02 X -476, •73X-42, -493 X -17. 



Over the surface of the polyp-bearing capitulum the spicules are much smaller. 

 Many of them are irregular in shape, like those of the canal-walls ('39 X "272 mm., 

 •17 X "136 mm.); there are also spindles and clubs ('289 X "052 mm., '17 X '051 mm., 

 •136 X '034 mm.) ; very small irregular bodies (^102 X '034 mm., ^085 X '051 mm.) ; and a 

 considerable number of forms appi'oaching the " Blattkeulen " of Capnella (•221x 

 •085 mm., •204X-119 mm., •187X^068 mm.). 



The surface of the stalk portion is full of minute irregular bodies and double-clubs 

 and "capstans" (•102X-068, •085X-068, •069X-051 mm.). 



The colour of the colony is a dark sepia-brown ; the spicules are white. 



In its densely spiculose interior this type is Siphonofforgia-Yike or Sclerophytum-\\kQ, 

 but it differs from both very markedly in the nature of its polyps ; we regard it as a 

 Nephthyid (subfamily Spongodinse), having affinities with Capnella emend. Klikenthal, 

 and with Dactylonephthya, Thomson and Simpson. It is probably one of those annectant 

 types, like Dactylonephthya, Cactogorgia, Agaricoides, and Studeria, which bind together 

 Alcyonids, Nephthyids, and Siphouogorgids. 



Localities. Salomon ; Egmont, reef. 



Previously recorded from Ceylon. 



Genus NEPHTIIYA. 



33. Nephthya amentacea, Studer. 



See Kiikeuthal: Zool. Jalirb. xix. 1903, p. 151. 

 Locality. S. de Malha, 29 f ms. ; Cargados Carajos, 30 fms. 

 Previoxisly recorded from Sulu Islands. 



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