158 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



The central interambulacral space of the actinal surface is closely 

 studded with bead-like granules, varying in size from one to two 

 millimetres in diameter. They are not seriate but scattered 

 irregularly, and are either in contact with each other at the base 

 or separated by a few granules. 



On the space near the mouth angle, along the ambulacral 

 groove and on the sides below the porous areas, the large granules 

 are mostly acute, about as high as broad, and are at least their 

 own diameter apart. 



The sides of the porous areas and the whole of the abactinal 

 surface is furnished with spines, narrower at the base and more 

 acute than any of those on the actinal surface. The larger 

 spines are mostly confined to the interporous spaces, and in the 

 large specimen under notice give the upper surface a reticulate 

 appearance. 



In the smaller example the large acute spines are scattered 

 over the porous and non-porous areas alike, and the areolate 

 feature visible in the larger specimen is wanting. These spines 

 are usually a little higher than broad, and two or three times 

 their diameter apart. 



The porous areas are densely packed with short acute spines, 

 subspiniform granules and pedicellarise, the latter are about two- 

 thirds of a millimetre in length ; when viewed from the lateral 

 aspect they are seen to be slightly convex externally and meeting 

 only at their tips. 



Each pedicel is narrow in the middle with the base and apex 

 dilated, the latter has it's inner surface excavated, and the semi- 

 circular margin minutely denticulated. The pedicellarise are 

 much more abundant on the lower half of the abactinal surface 

 than in the upper central region, usually from six to ten in a 

 centimetre, they are mostly confined to the porous areas, but 

 occasionally they occur on the interporous spaces. 



The minute granules on the abactinal surface are more or less 

 acute and a little longer than broad at the base. The somewhat 

 larger granules on the actinal surface are also mostly acute and 

 about as high as broad ; very few are rounded at the summit. 



The pedicellariaj on the actinal surface are not very abundant, 

 the majority are elevated a little above the adjacent granules, 

 and present when closed an almost circular outline, some of the 

 larger, however, are a little elongated. 



Owing to their slight elevation, larger size, and lighter colour, 

 the actinal pedicellarire are quite conspicuous and easily distin- 

 guished from the small granules. 



The madreporic plate is oval in shape, and has a few conical 

 spines around its margin, similar spines surround the anus, and 

 in the larger specimen some of the spines are granulose at 

 the apex. 



