500 THE STOLONIFERA AND ALCYOJSTACEA 



The polyp peduncles are about 1-2 mm. long, the heads are '7 mm. high and •6 mm. 

 in diameter. 



The spicules of the polyps are slender, spindle-shaped, and covered with fine small 

 spines. They are 'SI — 'llmm. long by 'OS — "01mm. broad. Small rod-like spicules 

 are arranged transversely in two iiTegular rows up the back of the tentacles for their 

 whole length. 



The spicules which form the bundle supporting the polyp head are long, spindle- 

 shaped, and covered with small spines. They are from 1 to 2 mm. in length. 



The upper portion of the stalk is loosely covered with large, warted, spindle- 

 shaped spicules which lie in all directions on the surface. They are 2 to 3'8 mm. 

 long and IS to "21 mm. broad. 



The lower portion of the stalk contains a number of in-egular, knobbed spicules 

 covered with warts. They are '42 — ■2 mm. long and '18 — ■07 mm. wide. The colony is 

 pale fawn colour in spirit. The spicules are colourless. 



Habitat. Straits of Rakaiya, Blanche Bay, New Britain. Depth, 3 — 4 fathoms. 



The species to which this form seems most closely allied is Spongodes klunzin- 

 geri Studer (25) {Sp. ramulosa Klz.). It differs from it however in one or two points. 



In Sp. hlunzingeri the spicules of the polyps cause them to be of a red colour. 

 In this form the spicules are colourless. The colony is much more branched and the 

 twigs also are more divided than in Sp. klunzingen. 



The sjjicules of the polyp head are not so regularly arranged en chevron as sho\Mi 

 by Klunzinger in his figure (Taf. III. Fig. 2) and do not project beyond the re- 

 tracted tentacles. The spicules of the upper portion of the stem are smaller than 

 in Sp. hlunzingeri, where they are 3 — 5 mm. long. Also the spicules are all more 

 slender and regular than Klunzinger figures them. Consequently it seems best to call 

 this form a new species. 



10. Nephthya chahrolii, Klunzinger. 



There is one fairly complete colony w-ith two fragments. 



The colony is 45 mm. high and 70 mm. b}' 40 mm. wide. The stalk is 20 mm. 

 high. It divides into four main branches, which bear numerous lateral branches and 

 these may again divide into branchlets. The ends of the branchlets are crowded with 

 round poh*}3 heads and look like short blunt spikes. The large branches are 20 — 30 mm. 

 long and 15 — 30 mm. wide. The branchlets are 2 — 10 mm. long, 4 — 8 mm. wide. The 

 heads are 1 mm. high. 



The spicules agree closely in form and size with Klunzinger 's species (11). 



The colour is pale fawn. The colony is female, but the ova are immature. 



Habitat. China Straits, British New Guinea. 



Previously recorded from the Red Sea. 



11. Nephthya virescens, Sav. 



This form belongs to the section of the genus called Ammothea by Savigny and 

 other authors, as there is no definite " Stiitzbundel" and the polyps are arranged in 

 " catkins." There are three large specimens of this form, two complete, one -with the 

 basal part missing. 



