ALCyONAUIA— ,T. A. THOMSOX AM) DORIS I, MAOKINVOX. 157 



These bear nuniBrous high, projeetina; warts, wliicli tend to be 

 raoie numerous towards one siiie of tlie spicuh' tlian the other, 

 especially if the spicule is curved, wlien tiie oon\ex side is always 

 much the stronger toothed ; length !j3- itreadtli in mm. 187 x Ool ; 

 •15 X 06 ; 12 X 05. There are also scales with very iriegular 

 margins and numerous spiny warts. — 102 x -082 mm. ; 063 x 

 •0+ mm.; 02 x 02 mm. tiiirdly, there are small irregular 

 bodies.— 025 x -025 ; 051 x 025. 



Tlio colour of the specimens [s orange-hrown : the polyps 

 yellowish-white. 



Localihj. — Eleven miles east of Broken Hay. 



Pre\ioiisly recorded from Australia (North-west Coast), 50 

 fathoms; Station 162, off Kast Moncoeur Island, Bass Strait, 3S 

 fathoms. 



MOPSEA AUSTRALTS, sp. nw>. 



(Plate Ixiv. tigs. 1 and 2., pi. Ixvii. tig. 5.) 



One specimen has the basal portion almost intact, tne othets 

 are brOKen, branching pieces of various lejigths. All are in the 

 dried condition. The mode of branching, ;ind, in fact, the whole 

 general appearance of the colony is very similar to Mopsea 

 dichotoma ( I,inn6). 



The pol3'ps are arranged in close spirals round the branches. 

 They are small (S-TS mm. in length), club-shaped, and, in the 

 dry state at any rate, are verj' closely |iressed to the suiface of 

 the branch, .so that their mouths are hidden. Their armature 

 consists of indistinct longitudinal rows of transversely arranged, 

 slightly overlapping spicules ; there are from fifteen (o eighteen 

 of these in the abaxial rows. 



The spicules of this species are i-niallfcr than those of M . ilicfio- 

 tonia, ami much less spiny. The following types occur — (1) 

 rather bioad, flattened, almost scale-like spicules witli relatively 

 prominent teetli round their edges, and with a few warts over the 

 surface. These spicules vary in shape from Hatlened spindles lo 

 rough oc-shapes and ovals. The following nu asuremenis were 

 taken of length and breadth in millimetres. — 187 x 034; 153 

 X 068 ; 119 X 051 ; 102 x 068. (2) Stout spindles and some 

 clubs with prominent wart->. — •15:^ x '034 mm. ; I 19 x 017 mm. ; 

 •102 X 017 mm. (3) Capstans and small, irregular bo'lies.— 

 •051 X 034 mm. : 034 x 034 mm. ; -068 x 017 mm. ; O.'M x 

 •017 mm. 



The colour of tiie dried specimens is deep cream. 



It must be admitted that Mapitea dicholoma (Liime). M. 

 elongata, Roide, and the species at present umler discussion, are 



