Contributions to the Knowledge of the Alcyonaria. 125 
outwards. Vents numerous, irregularly scattered over the 
surface. Texture soft, reticular, without fibre, more or less 
cellular, traversed by the branches of the excretory canal- 
system, which terminate in the vents mentioned. Spicules 
of two kinds, viz. :—1, skeletal, pinlike, with terminal or ante- 
terminal more or less capitate inflation, curved, slightly fusi- 
form, gradually sharp-pointed, 265 by 5-6000ths inch in its 
greatest dimensions (fig. 2, a); 2, flesh-spicule, stelliform, 
Fig. 2.—Spiculation of Suberites stelliyerus. a, skeletal spicule; 6, 
flesh-spicules: scale 1-96th to 1-6000th inch. ¢, flesh-spicule, 
much more magnified, to show general form and spinous ends of 
rays. 
more or less nucleated, in which originate 8-10 straight rays, 
each of which terminates.abruptly in four or more short everted 
spines about 4-6000ths inch in diameter (fig.2,6,c). Pinlike 
spicules and stellates equally plentiful. Size of specimen 
6 inches high, 43 inches broad, and 2 inches thick. 
Hab. Marine. 
Loc. Honduras. 
Obs. This sponge, from its loose, apparently compressed, 
fibreless structure, pinlike form of the skeletal spicule, and 
presence of shell detritus imbedded in its surface, has all the 
characters of a Suberite belonging to my group Laxa; but the 
presence of the stellate flesh-spicule is new to me, although 
not in allied forms, ex. gr. Azos Cliftont, A. flabelliformis 
(‘ Annals,’ 1879, vol. iii. pl. xxvi. figs. 3 and 6), and the 
small stellate in Donatia lyncurium. From the old appear- 
ance and mutilated condition of the specimen, which belongs 
to the Bowerbank general collection, it appears to have been 
picked out of a sandy beach, where it might have been for 
years, and now bears a label on which is written ‘‘ Honduras, 
Dyson ;” hence the locality is known. 
XIII.— Contributions to the Knowledge of the Alcyonaria. 
Part I1., including Descriptions of new Species from Mauri- 
tus. By Stuart O. Ripiey, M.A., F.L.8., &e. 
[Plate V.] 
LiKE the first paper of this series (this Journal, ser. 5, vol. ix. 
p. 184), the present communication will be found to owe its 
