352 COLLECTIONS FEOM MELANESIA. 



at the ends ; a few small low tubercles at the ends and here and 

 there on the body of the spicule ; size "18 by "03 millim. (near apex 

 of branches only about -018 millim. broad and with longer sharp 

 tubercles). Spicules of cortex (iii.) short, fusiform, with ridge-like, 

 transversely elongated tubercles, much roughened ; ends of spicules 

 irregular in shape ; size about -018 to -022 by -1 millim. 



Hah. Torres Straits, 10 fms. ; bottom sand.' 



Ohs. This species appears to belong to the genus established by 

 Duchassaing de Ponbressin (I. c), but differs from the description of 

 the single species, I. schrammi, there described (from Guadaloupe) in 

 the verrucse not projecting from the'general level of the cortex. The 

 height of the single specimen is 250 millim. (10 inches), greatest dia- 

 meter at basal end 9 miUim., least diameter at same place 4^ millim. ; 

 greatest diameter at apex of branches 4| millim. ; common stem 

 100 miUim. long ; longest branch 150 milL'm. ; it branches only 

 once, but one other (aborted) branch is indicated on one edge of the 

 stem of another of the branches. 



SIFHONOGORGIA. 



EUliker, Festschrift phys.-med. Ges. Wiirzhurg, 1874, p. 18. 



Three species of this highly interesting and but recently dis- 

 covered type are already known, viz. 8. godeffroyi, KoIIiker {I. c), 

 from the Pelew Islands ; 8. ndrabilis, Klunzinger, from the Eed Sea ; 

 and 8. squarrosa, Studer, from IT.W. Australia. A species occurs 

 in the present collection which though differing more or less from 

 all these either in its spicules or external characters, yet agrees 

 sufficiently closely in its spicular characters and general form with 

 Klunzinger's species for me to record it under the name 



29. Siphonogorgia mirabilis, var. flava. 



Siphonogorgia mirabUis, Klunzinger, Kor. roth. Meer. i. p. 49, pi. iii. 

 flg.9. 



Two groups growing on tubular masses of sponge or worm-tube, 

 and consisting of a creeping, thin, adherent stolon, 1-0 to 5 millim. 

 broad, bearing the monticular closed verrucse, 1 to 1-5 millim. in 

 diameter, and sending up vertical shoots at intervals of from 6 to 

 10 millim. ; these are unbranched, from 9 to 34 millim. in height 

 and from 1-5 to 2-5 millim. in their greatest by 1 millim. in their 

 least diameter, being somewhat flattened, knife-like; they have 

 slightly swollen but pointed apices. The colour in spirit is a light 

 yellowish brown throughout. The verrucse are closed, but the 

 polypes are seen by sections to have a yellow colour. 



The parenchyma-spicules agree in their general characters with 

 those described by Klunzinger ; but I find(i.) those of the cortical layer 

 having either the characters exhibited in the lowest of the figures 

 marked rf in his fig. 9. pi. iii (Z. c), viz. stout fusiform with rather dis- 

 tinct broad minutely tuberoulate tubercles, size -21 by -085 millim. to 



