186 Mr. S. O. Ridley's Contributions to the 



the rather sharp point ; those (iii.) of the intermediate area 

 are long, blunter, and more uniform in diameter throughout the 

 spicule. Size of spicules (i.) of crown about 1 by "l niillim., 

 (ii.) of base "5 by '1 to 1'4 by "28 millim,, (iii.) the largest 

 of intermediate area 2 by '2 millim. ; but there is a gradation 

 in size from the intermediate area to the crown on the one 

 hand, and to the base on the other. 



Colour of soft parts very pale flesh-colour. 



Hab. British Burmah (coll. Mus. Brit.). 



Examined. In spirit. 



Obs. The species is represented by a small colony of three 

 primary lobes rising from the common base, which clasps a 

 small calcareous mass ; maximum height 25 millim., maxi- 

 mum width 45 millim. It was presented to the national 

 collection by W. Theobald, Esq., in company with some 

 Crustacea. 



From all the species assigned above to the genus either the 

 pale colour of the soft parts or tlie whiteness of the spicules 

 distinguishes it ; N. Chabrolii, which seems to have the dull 

 general coloration, differs in its very large polypes and their 

 green spicules. .A^. niger is, of course, black ; and if the 

 " costaj " assigned to it are ridges resembling the costas of 

 Madreporaria, they constitute another point of difference ; but 

 I am not sure what is intended by the term. 



MORCHELLANA, Gray. 



Morchellana, Gray, P. Z. S. 18G2, p. 30. 



Having examined the type specimen of the species on which 

 this genus is based (viz. M. spinulosa^ Grray, I. c, figured), I 

 cannot see sufficient reason for its generic distinction from 

 Spongodes, with which it agrees in having a large spicule 

 projecting longitudinally at the side of the polype-cell. 

 The wall of the stem is thin, and contains small fusiform 

 spicules. The brittleness mentioned by Dr. Gray appears to 

 be due to the impregnation of the specimen by salt previous 

 to its immersion in spirit and the perhaps consequent 

 alteration of the consistency of the spicules, which shows itself 

 in their unusual brittleness and opacity. The same fact 

 accounts in part for the infrequency with which the projec- 

 tion of the polype-spicule can be made out, owing to its 

 fracture in many cases. 



