292 Rev. T. Hincks's Confrihiitions towards a 



Schtzoporella spectabtlis, sp. n. (PL VII. figs. 1.) 



Zoarium incrusting, Zooecia disposed in transverse rows, 

 large, irregularly ovate, sometimes narrow, sometimes of con- 

 siderable width, occasionally enlarged above, prolonged and 

 narrowing downward and trmicate at the base, convex, in- 

 closed by strongly-marked boundary-lines, the front wall much 

 elevated towards the orifice, and sloping rather abruptly down- 

 wards towards the bottom of the cell, of a light brownish 

 colour, the surface smooth and shining and thickly covered with 

 small white papillee ; orifice depressed, sloping towards the top 

 of the cell, orbicular or suborbicular, with a somewhat lozenge- 

 shaped sinus below, sharply pointed at the lower extremity, 

 with a bend outward on each side, the opening slightly con- 

 tracted by two denticular projections. Operculum of a dark 

 horn-colour, terminating below in a short spike-like process, 

 which passes within the sinus. Immediately below the orifice 

 on each side of the sinus a large pyriform body, decumbent 

 and adnate, attached by a short stem-like prolongation to the 

 raised line which bounds the cell, near the upper end of one of 

 them an avicularium facing towards the orifice, with pointed 

 mandible. Other bodies of a similar character and in various 

 stages of development occur on the cells, all of them origin- 

 ating at various points on the boundary-line. Ooecium of 

 large size, elongate, obovate, wide above and narrowing 

 towards the oral extremity, oral arch lofty, closed by a dark- 

 coloured operculum, surface reticulate. 



Loc. Stewart Island, New Zealand. 



This very interesting species, so far as the character of the 

 orifice is concerned, might probably be referred to the Gemel- 

 lipora of Smitt *, as limited by Busk f, if that genus could be 

 accepted as well founded. But the slight peculiarity in the 

 shape of the sinus can hardly be accounted a sufficient basis for 

 a generic group. We are hardly in a position at present to inter- 

 pret fully the curious bodies which bud from the raised line 

 by which the zooecia are surrounded. They are evidently not 

 mere accretions of calcareous matter. Their constant form 

 and position and the indications of definite structure which 

 they present might naturally lead us to assign them zooidal 

 rank ; but we have no clue as yet to their morphological 

 significance. All that we can say of them with certainty is 

 that they are outgrowths from the zooecial wall ; of their 

 function we know nothing, but their number shows that they 

 must be serviceable in some way to the colony. They are all of 



* Smitt, ' Floridan Bnozoa/ p. 37. 



t Busk, ' ChalleufiC'r ' Keport, pt. i, p. 17(j. 



