30 Mr. O. Thomas on a new Sciuropterus. 



The structure and arrangement of their spicules and of the 

 coenenchyma have been ah-eadj so well described and figured 

 that nothing further is to be said here. 



In our specimens the tunnel formed by the series of expanded 

 wing-like scales at the bases of the lateral polyps makes a 

 very convenient shelter for a slender chsetopod. 



Several beautiful branches were dredged in the Laccadive 

 Sea off Piti Sandbank (lat. 10° 47' 45" N., long. 72° 40' 

 20" E.) at a depth of 705 fathoms, the bottom being hard 

 rock and fragments of dead and waterworn reef coral. 



Of Alcyonaria there were dredged, at the same time, some 

 large branches of a peculiarly beautiful new species of Sienellaj 

 near to S. sptnosa, Wright and Studer ; a new species of 

 Acanella, represented by a single bush-shaped colony complete 

 in every point; and a branch of Callistephanus Korenij 

 Wright and Studer. Of these and other deep-water Alcyon- 

 aria from the Andaman Sea I hope shortly to give an account. 



VI. — Description of a neio Sciuropterus ^/'om the 

 Philippines. By Oldfield Thomas. 



For many years there have been in the British Museum 

 three specimens of a Flying Squirrel from Palawan resembling 

 superficially 8. alboniger^ Hodgs., but proving on a careful 

 comparison of the skulls and other characters to be essentially 

 different from that animal. I propose to call the species 



Sciuropterus nigripes^ sp. n. 



Size large, one of the largest of the genus. Fur long, 

 thick and rather woolly, not so silky as in 8, alboniger. 

 General colour above grizzled greyish brown, the woolly 

 under- fur pale slaty grey, the straight upper-fur with broad 

 pale drab terminal or subterminal bands. Ears large, thinly 

 haired and blackish terminally, but with longer yellowish 

 hairs on their basal surfaces externally. No longer hairs 

 round base of ears, nor any cheek-tuft. Parachute above 

 rather thinly haired, similar in colour to the back. Lips, 

 both upper and lower, black, contrasting markedly with 

 the pale colour of the cheeks and throat. 



Throat, chest, and centre of belly whitish, the hairs 

 yellowish white to their roots ; rest of under surface greyish 

 white, the bases of the hairs slaty grey ; but the distribution 

 of the patches of uniform whitish and grey and whitish hairs 



