102 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Acddemy. 



external appearance, so that the following notes and figures (figs. 88 and 90) 

 give some idea of the fertility of variation. Let us commence with those in 

 which the verrucae are most contracted. 



A long, simple filiform colony, 82 cm. in length, and having a maximum 

 diameter of 2-5 mm. The coenenehyma is finely granular, and only 0'25 mm. 

 in thickness near the base. The colour of the colony is a pale orange-yellow ; 

 but the tips of the polyps are reddish. 



The verrucae are small and wart-like ; when retracted they are sunk into 

 the coenenehyma, and show an octoradiate structure (figs. 88rt and 886). The 

 polyps are disposed in two longitudinal series, with two or three transverse, 

 irregular rows in each series. No polyps occur on the lower basal part of the 

 colony. The polyp-bearing areas are separated by two bare tracts, in one of 

 which there is a distinct furrow, caused by the collapse of one of the main 

 canals ; the position of the other main canal is clearly visible owing to the 

 extreme thinness of coenenehyma. 



The verrucae are about 1 mm. in diameter. 



The canal system is well marked and is quite typical of the group. The 

 canals themselves are all very large. 



The axis is cylindrical, dark brown at the base, where it is about 1 5 mm. 

 in diameter ; and pale yellow in the upper portion, where it is hair-like in 

 fineness. The surface is marked by indistinct longitudinal furrows and 

 ridges. Fig. 89 shows the chief types of spicules. 



LocoJity. — Off Malabar Coast, 36 fms. 



A small, complete, simple colony, 27 em. in length, from the Andamans, 

 also occurs in the Indian Museum Littoral Collection. It is of a creamy- 

 white colour, and is almost imiform in thickness throughout ; it agrees in 

 detail with the last specimen from the Malabar Coast, except that each 

 transverse row has only one polyp or occasionally two polyps. The axis is of 

 a straw colour throughout. 



The spicules are identical with those described for the other specimens. 



Locality. — Andamans. 



Two slender colonies, of a creamy-white colour, with projecting wart-like 

 verrucae. The smaller colony is complete, and is 39 cm. in length ; it is 

 2"25 mm. in diameter near the base (without verrucae), and about the middle 

 of the colony ; the basal portion which is present is 47 cm. in length. The 

 diameter at the base is 2-75 mm., while at the broken end it is 4 mm. 



The coenenehyma is granular, and moderately thin ; it is creamy-white in 

 colour. 



Polyps do not occur for a considerable distance from the base ; thereafter 

 tjhey are separated into two longitudinal series by two sinuous depressions 



