172 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



breadth and the same in height. The colour (in spirit) is dark grey, arid the texture 

 characteristically firm and fleshy, and very tough. 

 E.N. 92 ; 92A (Gulf of Manaar). 



Raspailia, NARDO. 



Ectyoninse of elongated, slender, branching habit. Skeleton composed of a dense 

 central axis of spicular fibre containing much spongin, from which bundles or 

 tufts of spicules radiate to the surface. Smooth monactinal (sometimes diactinal) 

 megascleres are present, and also (normally) spined echinating styli. No micro- 

 scleres. 



As already indicated, the members of this genus bear a strong superficial 

 resemblance to Axinellidse, but it is evident from the presence of the spined 

 echinating styli (though these may be vestigial) that they are really highly modified 

 Ectyoninse. 



Raspailia thurstoni, DENDY. 



There is one specimen of this sponge (DENDY, 2, 1887) in the collection. 

 RN. 39 (Stat. LX., outside Muttuvaratu Paar, 30 fathoms) 



Raspailia fruticosa, DENDY, var. tenuiramosa, nov. Plate VIII., fig. 5. 

 1887, Easpailia fruticosa, DENDY (2). 



There are in the collection two specimens, one dry and one in spirit, which differ 

 from the type of the species only in the much more slender and much shorter 

 branches, and in the greater density of the skeleton, which is less distinctly reticulate. 

 The branches are usually only from 2 millims. to 3 millims. in diameter, and very 

 numerous, so that the whole sponge is even more fruticose than the type. The 

 largest specimen (dry) is about 55 millims. in total height and 78 millims. in greatest 

 breadth ; it is represented in Plate VIII., fig. 5. 



RN. 100 (dry, Gulf of Manaar) ; 173. 



Raspailia hornelli, n. sp. Plate XI., fig. 7. 



The single specimen is erect, arborescent, branching in one plane. The branching 

 at first sight appears to be dichotomous, but in reality the two branches present are 

 both given off from the same side of a main axis which in no way differs from them in 

 appearance, except that the part below the first branch, which we may consider as 

 representing the stalk, is more rounded in transverse section and slightly expanded 

 below at the attachment, while the branches themselves are slightly flattened. Each 

 branch is very much narrowed at the end to form a slender, elongated apex. The 

 surface is rather coarsely granular, with numerous minute apertures between the 

 granules ; slightly hispid in places. Colour (in spirit) dark brown. Texture tough, 

 compressible, resilient. Total height about 99 millims, Length of stem below the 



