46 Mr. H. J. Carter on Specimens 



accidental, and that the other spicules, which often accompany 

 a similar form, are, from some cause or another, absent here; 

 the record, therefore, is only made provisionally. 



Hymerliaphia vermiculata, var. erecta. 



This, which is but an erect form of Hymerliaphia vermi- 

 culata, Bk., I found plentifully among the dredgings of 

 the ' Porcupine ' from the bed of the Atlantic Ocean between 

 the north of Scotland and the Faroe Islands (' Annals,' 1876, 

 vol. xviii. p. 307, pi. xii. fig. 4, &c.) ; and it seems to be 

 equally plentiful in the Gulf of Manaar, with this difference 

 only, that the acuate spicules are not so large or so setaceous 

 as those in the specimens from the Atlantic sea-bed. 



Hymerhaphia clavata } Bk. 



Laminiform, extremely thin, hirsute, spreading. Cream- 

 colour. Spicules of four forms, viz.: — 1, large, smooth, 

 acuate like that of H. unispiculum, 100 by 3-1800ths ; 2, 

 clavate, nearly straight, with the blunt end differentiated 

 from the shaft by being one third more in diameter, spined 

 throughout, 14 by 2^-1800ths ; 3, the same, but not more 

 than half the size ; 4, thin, smooth, acuate, 30-1800ths 

 long. All these spicules are erect ; and no. 1, which is 

 rather sparse and very large and long, is surrounded by 

 a great number of the fine acuates no. 4. Size variable ; 

 that of the specimen about £ inch in horizontal diameter. 



Hab. Marine. On hard objects. 



Loc. Gulf of Manaar. 



Obs. This is so nearly allied in spiculation to Hymerhaphia 

 clavata, Bk., that I think it must be a specimen of the same 

 species ; but lest it should not be, I have given the description, 

 merely adding that if it differs from Microciona in the absence 

 of the " columns," it certainly comes so near it in the elements 

 and arrangement of its spiculation that it is almost question- 

 able whether it should not be called a Microciona. 



Hymerliaphia eruca, n. sp. (PI. IV. fig. 9, a-c.) 



Laminiform, extremely thin, hirsute, spreading. Colour 

 light brown. Spicules of three forms, viz. : — 1, large, smooth, 

 setaceous, acuate, chiefly curved towards the blunt end, which 

 is slightly inflated hemispherically, and slightly differentiated 

 from the shaft by constriction, 70 by lf-1 800th (PI. IV. 

 fig. 9, a) ; 2, vermiculate, acerate, annulated at more or less 

 equal distances by projecting ridges, which here and there 

 are broken or imperfect, 25 by l*-1800th (fig. 9, b) ; 3, 



