316 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



The verrucse are small, low, conical, wart-like bodies. They are confined on the 

 whole to the lateral faces, but on the older branches, and on some parts of the stem 

 and of the twigs, they seem to be scattered over three surfaces. 



The general coenenchyma is thin and easily rubbed off (in several places the axis is 

 laid bare) ; it is mainly composed of double clubs, spindles, and double spindles. The 

 spicules are covered with large rough warts, which are arranged in whorls. The 

 spicules measure, length by breadth in millimetres, as follows : 



Double clubs, O'lO X 0'047 ; 0'09 X 0'05 ; 0'09 X 0'06. 



Spindles, O'lO X 0'035 ; 0'08 X 0'03 ; 0'09 X 0'035. 



Double spindles, 0'07 X 0'04 ; 0'08 X 0'04 ; 0'06 X 0'035. 



The colour of the specimen is a bright crimson. 



Locality : Gulf of Manaar. 



Verrucella flexuosa, KLUNZINGER, var. aurantiaca, n. Plate TIL, fig. 4 ; Plate IV., 

 fig. 8. 



This form is represented by several complete specimens and many fragments. One 

 complete colony has a height of 210 millims. and a maximum width of 180 millims. ; 

 another is 74 millims. by 80 millims. The colonies rise from a flat portion which 

 spreads over the surface of a stone. In the largest specimen branching begins at the 

 base, in a smaller the stalk rises to a height of 30 millims. before it gives off the 

 first branch. In the lower portion of the stalk, which has a diameter of 2 millims., 

 there are no polyps present. The verrucse begin to appear at a height of 14 millims. 

 from the base, but they are not abundant in the older basal region. There are 

 numerous galls. 



The branching is profuse and confined to one plane. The branches are given off 

 at various angles acute for some of the main branches, and almost always a right 

 angle for the minor branches or twigs. 



The tips of the branches and the twigs are sometimes slightly flattened in the 

 plane of branching. The branches and the twigs come off very irregularly. 



The verrucse on the younger portions of the branches and on the twigs are some- 

 what more numerous towards the lateral edges, but on the stem and the older 

 portions they occur all round. The verrucse are conical in shape and truncated, 

 measuring about 0'75 millim. in height and having a basal diameter of 1 millim. 



The general crenenchyma is granular in appearance, not of great thickness, and 

 composed of spicules in the form of spindles and double clubs. They measure, length 

 by breadth, in millimetres, as follows : 



Spindles, 0'08 X 0'03 ; O r 07 X 0'02 ; O'lO X 0'04 ; 0'08 X 0'02. 



Double clubs, 0'065 X 0'04 ; 0'08 X 0'04 ; 0'08 X 0'045. 



The specimens described here approach very closely to Verrucella flexuoxa, 

 KI/UNZINGER. but as this species appears to be very variable, it may be useful to class 

 them as an orange variety. 



