320 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



The original colony appears to have been much branched in one 

 plane, but the base and the greater number of branches are wanting, 

 the latter in most cases being broken off quite short. 



The specimen is 275 mm. in height, the stem is angularly bent 

 a short distance from the base ; from the bend to the broken 

 summit it presents a slightly wavy outline, and gives off a series 

 of alternate branches from 10 to 25 mm. apart ; at 130 mm. from 

 the base there arises a branch 145 mm. in length, from which 

 originates a series of lateral branchlets at intervals of 15 mm., 

 these give off numerous slender twigs forming small flabellate 

 groups. 



The stem is 4 mm. in diameter at the base, where it is nearly 

 cylindrical, above it is somewhat flattened in the plane of branch- 

 ing, and exhibits two longitudinal grooves, one on each side, in 

 the median space devoid of polyps. 



The axis is creamy-white, very hard, but brittle. 



The polyps are numerous, alternate, nearly at right angles to 

 their support, and retractile within the slightly conical verrucse ; 

 the latter are divided into eight rays at the summits, which are 

 folded over the retracted polyps. 



The verrucae are prominent, they are from -5 to ! mm. in 

 height, -5 to -7 mm. in diameter, and from 1* to 3- mm. apart. 



The ccenenchyma is thin, smooth, and coated with a layer of 

 double club-shaped spicules disposed in lines more especially on 

 the verrucse, beneath these there are numerous flattened tuber- 

 culated spicules arranged longitudinally on the branches and also 

 in the walls of the verrucse. 



In the tentacles are a number of short spiny spicules, but owing 

 to their retracted condition and imperfect preservation it is im- 

 possible to state with certainty how they are disposed. 



The double clubs of the cortex vary greatly in length, thickness, 

 and tuberculation. Size -05 by -02, -07 by -02, -1 by -03 mm. 



The ccenenchyma spicules are flat, elongate, and tuberculate, 

 with a median constriction and obtusely rounded ends, the smaller 

 of which closely resemble the double-clubs but are distinguished 

 by being flattened. Size -1 by -04 and -01 mm. in thickness, 

 15 by '05 and - 02 mm. in thickness. 



The tentacle spicules are short rods and spindles with a few 

 blunt spines. Size '05 by *01. 



Colour in formol is yellowish-white. 



Verrucella flabellata is distinguished from other species of the 

 genus by its peculiar flat round-ended spicules. 



