516 



MR. E. W. SHANN ON 



On applying the key to the sjoecies of Nephthya given by 

 Klikenthal (1903, p. 145) to the case of N. hedfordi, it is seen 

 that this species falls within the gi'oup characterised by forms 

 in which the terminal lobes ai'e conical but rounded. The 

 inner polyp-spicules are smaller than the outer ; moreover, 

 they have the form of smooth rods. These characters taken 

 together indicate that N. hedfordi resembles closely N. iMcifica 

 and N. alhida ; and, since the spicules do not form a ring around 

 the base of the polyp), it may be inferred that the new species is 

 most nearly allied to N. alhida Holm, so far as the key to the 

 species can be relied upon. Excepting in the character of the 

 iniier polyp-spicules, however, N. hedfordi appears to be more 

 nearly related to N. elongata Kiikenthal than to JSf. alhida. 

 This supposition is supiDorted by the fact that N. elongata is 

 reported from Ternate, while N. alhida is a Red Sea form. The 

 points of difference and of resemblance between N. hedfordi and its 

 two nearest allies may be seen at a glance in the appended table : — 



All measurements are in millimeti'es. 



Lest the use of an artificial key to the identification of species 

 should have led me to overlook a member of the genus not 

 included in the group to which the Singapore specimen apparently 



