10 



ill the arrangement of the polyps and in the large dimensions of the spicules. 

 The colour of the colony is also quite different, being in this case greyish-white, 

 while Spongodes xiit',ixni is greyish -yellow with yellow or red polyps and red 

 " Sttttzbundel " and polyp spicules. 



Locality : Station 237 ; 13 17' N., 93 07' E. ; 90 fathoms. 



Spongodes alcocki, n. sp. Plate I. fig. 4 ; Plate VIII. fig. 6. 



This is a divaricate form, and belongs to the Cervicornis group of Kiikenthal. 



The base of the trunk forms a flattened disc of attachment. About 12 mm. 

 from the base the trunk is surrounded by an irregular, flattened branch, which is 

 interrupted altogether at one place and is twice perforated. At the perforation 

 next the interruption there is an almost cylindrical portion which may represent a 

 separate secondary branch. Above the collar some small branches are also 

 slightly flattened. 



The branching of the colony is on the whole in one plane, with a median and 

 t\vo lateral main branches, each breaking up into numerous twigs. The height is 

 60 mm. from above the collar, and the maximum breadth 90 mm. The colony 

 is very delicate and readily torn ; the colour is translucent white, except at 

 the tips of the twigs and in the polyps, where the spicules are deep yellow or 

 orange red. 



The polyps occur in bundles of 5-10, but the larger numbers are the more 

 frequent. Each polyp stands on a separate stalk, about 2 "5 mm. in length. The 

 polyps and their tentacles are white, disguised at first sight by the orange red 

 spicules. 



The spicules of the anthocodia are arranged in 8 triangles, each consisting of a 

 pair of converging spicules and a horizontally -placed curved spicule which forms 

 the base. In addition to these there are some irregularly horizontal spicules. The 

 aboral surface of the tentacle has a band of minute red spicules arranged in two rows. 



The spicules of the polyp stalk consist of closely contiguous obliquely trans- 

 verse rows; on the surface of the stalk farthest from the polyp several stronger 

 spicules are arranged longitudinally to form a Stutzbiindel, one of which projects 

 for a short distance beyond the polyp. 



The spicules of the stem form a loose network, and are spiny spindles straight 

 or curved. The following measurements were taken of length and breadth in 

 millimetres : 



]-7xO'l; 1-4x0-1; I'SxO'OG; 0'8x0'045; 075x0'05; 0'3x0'02; 

 0-2x0-03. 



The, polyp spicules are straight or curved spindles. The following measure- 

 ments were taken of length and breadth in millimetres : 



1-5x0-09; 0-9x0-00; 07x0'04; O'lGxO'03; 0'12x0'03; 0'06x0'03. 



