358 Mr. IT. J. Carter on 



been of a " dull purple " colour when fresh. The occuiTence 

 of the acnates in the variety " massalis " causes it to resemble 

 in spiculation H. nataletisis, before described, of which the 

 type is in the British Museum. 



16. Higginsia lunata (provisional). 



Sessile, globular, massive, with a small mammilliform pro- 

 cess-growth over the surface. Consistence soft. Colour, w^hen 

 fresh, " dark slate," which is the colour of the surface now, 

 but interiorly sponge-colour. Surface smooth, uniformly cover- 

 ing the small processes, which are conulated and accompanied 

 by an unusually thick, firm, reticulated dermis in the inter- 

 vals. Vents large, scattered over tlie surface. Spicules of 

 three forms, viz. : — 1, skeletal, acerate, smooth, curved ; and 

 2, also skeletal, but acuate, smooth, curved, both about the 

 same size with gradationary forms between them ; all about 

 120 by 2-6000ths ; 3, flesh-spicule, acerate, much "curved, 

 often to a lunate form, microspined, often in groups parallel 

 to each other, simulating the development of a tricurvate, 

 about 9 by J-6000th ; the former chiefly confined to the fibre, 

 •the latter to the sarcode. Size of specimen 1 in. high by 

 3x3 horizontally. 



Depth 19 fath. 



Ohs. The thick slate- coloured dermal layer is very character- 

 istic of this species, and its spiculation comes nearest to Hig- 

 ginsia, unless the microspined flesh-spicule should be nothing 

 but a spined tricurvate, when the resemblance would be so 

 much less that for the j)resent I can only consider its " seat" 

 as undetermined. 



Fam. 2. Axinellida. 

 Group 7 a. AxiNELLINA. 



17. Axi7iella chalinoides. 



Stipitate, caulescent, dichotomous, cylindrical, branches of 

 different lengths, rather compressed, slightly diminishing in 

 size from the stem, which is short and thick, to the extremi- 

 ties, W'hich are round. Consistence firm, resilient. Colour, 

 when fresh, " dull brick-red," now brown. Surface uniformly 

 but minutely granulated, and minutely hispid, often rendered 

 rather uneven by the presence of subjacent excretory canals. 

 Vents on the branches in two rows opposite to each other, 

 often accompanied by stelliform radiation, owing to the pre- 

 sence of subjacent but superficial excretory canals. Spicules 

 of one form only, viz. a small, smooth, acuate, about 20 by 



