332 



COLLKCTIOXS FROM MELANESIA. 



NEPHTHYA, Avdouin up. Savigny. 

 Ammothea, Lamarck. 



1. Nephthya (Anrmothea) jukesi, var. 

 Lemnalia jukesii, Gray, Ann. fy May. X. II. (4) ii. p. 442, fig. 1. 



The two specimens in this collection differ from the type specimen 

 of the species in having the spicules about one sixth as large again in 

 all dimensions, and in the infundibular, and not merely irregularly 

 ramose arrangement of the crown of lobes. It is apparently not 

 generically distinct from Ammothea (this generic name is forestalled 

 by Leach in Pycnogonida), but nearly related to A. imbrieata (M.- 

 Edwards and Haime) and A. ramosa (iid.). The spicules have never 

 been figured, and Dr. Gray's description seems, perhaps uninten- 

 tionally, to suggest that none are likely to be found in the superficial 

 parts of the animal. 



Hab. Port Molle, Queensland, between tide-marks. 



2. Spongodes fiorida. 



Alcyonium floridum, Esper, Pflansenthiere, iii. p. 49, pi. xvi. 

 Spoggodes fiorida, Gray, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 27, pi. ix. figs. 1-4. 



Two young specimens. Shark Bay, S.W. Australia, is appa- 

 rently the only other Australian locality recorded. It also extends 

 to the Philippine Islands (Gray). 



Hab. Port Jackson, 0-5 fms. 



3. Spongodes hernprichi. 



? Klunzinyer, Kor. roth. Meer. p. 36, pi. iii. fig. 1 



A young dry specimen, which does not show its characters with 

 sufficient distinctness to justify a positive decision as to its identity. 

 It has, however, the general external aspect of the above species ; 

 the stem and main axis are white, the zooids clustered on the 

 surface-lobules crimson ; the spicules are fusiform, and thickly 

 covered with coarse, prominent tubercles. 



Hab. Thursday Island, Torres Straits, 4-5 fms. 



4. Spongodes spinosa, var. 

 Spoggodes spinosa, Gray, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 27, pi. iv. figs. 5-7. 



A small portion of a colony, in spirit, possibly specifically dis- 

 tinct from Gray's species. The stem and branches have a dull 

 purple-grey colour, which belongs almost solely to the soft parts, 

 affecting the spicules but slightly. The spicules reach a length of 



