THE "MARAVOT." 709 



had a head consisting of a human skull covered with dark plastic material (" a tita ") 

 and was also adorned with a Ottsras-necklace. As the procession passed along, the 

 women raised a howl, perhaps bewailing departed spirits. The life-size human emblem 

 and another smaller one were placed in front of the diwara, facing both the performers 

 and the altar-piece at the far end. 



Some of the dancers brought very curious carvings representing a tongue protruding 

 through an open mouth. These were placed upon a rough log bench immediately in 

 front of the altar-piece, and I inferred that they symbolised spirit-tongues, but have 

 no information on this point. 



The actual " malagene," in the densely crowded enclosure, consisted of an in- 

 terminable medley of unintelligible but well-rehearsed incantations delivered by one or 

 other of the assistants in a high-pitched voice and followed by a chorus of responses, 

 shouts and chants, all in unison, accompanied by dancing and some comedy. Each 

 distinct dance was inaugurated by the entire company, at one moment, blowing out 

 from their mouths a cloud of betel juice into the air, an operation known as "puruk." 

 As I have already indicated, the bulk of natives, constituting what I may term the 

 chorus, faced the diwara with their backs to the altar-piece, but the leaders, first 

 among whom was the venerable To-ragat, faced the crowd and appeared to direct the 

 performance. 



Some of the young novitiates, sons of chiefs and valiant men, gifted with superb 

 figures and well-chiselled features, commanded instant admiration ; but the older con- 

 gregants improved on acquaintance. 



Among the lower orders of marine animals to which I devoted some attention 

 while dwelling on the shores of Blanche Bay, two or three species of Ascidians deserve 

 special mention on account of some striking circumstance of habit or structure. 



I have described one of these under the name Styeloides eviscerans 1 . It has a very 

 characteristic form, colour and encrusting method of growth which distinguish it from 

 all the remaining somewhat numerous species which I observed during my entire 

 expedition. It also differs from other Tunicata by the readiness with which it throws 

 out its entrails, in a manner analogous to the evisceration of some Holothurians, shortly 

 after removal from its natural surroundings. The extrusion is effected by successive 

 contractions of the atrial siphon, and if the tunicary be cut open there is found to 

 be no trace of lesion inside. Moreover the animal appears to be perfectly healthy and 

 normal externally after having got rid of its viscera, and both the buccal and the 

 atrial siphons remain sensitive to mechanical and chemical stimuli. 



I found a few examples of this species attached to the lower surface of stones off 

 the south-west shore of Vulcan Island at a depth of one-half to one fathom. The 

 general colour is a dull reddish -brown, more pronounced near the apertures, the margins 

 of which are dark red, interrupted by four light streaks indicating the characteristic 

 quadripartite nature of the siphons. Individuals occur singly and associated in groups, 

 in which case they may be so intimately united by fusion of the test-substance that 

 one would be tempted to assume that the group represents a colony of ascidiozoids 



1 Willey, A., "Letters from New Guinea on Nautilus and some other organisms." Quart. J. Micr. Sci., 

 Vol. 39, lfW, p- 161. 



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