164 Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
or long spindles predominate. The spicules from the surface of the head 
between the polyps are long spindles or shorter double spindles ; those of the 
outer cortex of the stalk are double spindles, crosses, and more irregularly- 
shaped spindles. The spicules from the inside of the stalk are fairly similar 
to those of the cortex. The size of the spicules is as follows : (1) from the 
mesenterial filament part of the polyp, from 0'12 x 0-02 to 0*34 x 0-035 mm.; 
from the stomodaeal part, about O'lO x 0'015 mm. ; from the stomodaeal 
tube proper, about 0*08 x 0-015 mm. ; from the apical crown, from 0*105 x 
0-03 to 0-52 X 0-03 mm. ; from the surface of the polyp head between the 
polyps, 0-10 X 0-02 mm. ; from the outside of the stalk, from 0*04 x 0-035 
to 0-08 X 0-06 mm. ; from the inside of stalk, from 0-07 x 0-024 to O'lO x 
0*06 mm. ; from the tentacles, from 0*12 x 0*02 mm. 
Localities, etc. — '* Pieter Faure," No. 15291. Knysna Head north, 
10 miles. Depth, 52 fathoms. Collected by shrimp trawl. Nature of bottom, 
fine dark sand. Date, July 2, 1902. 
" Pieter Faure," No. 10476. Cape St. Blaize, N. by E. miles. Depth, 
39 fathoms. Collected by large dredge. Nature of bottom, stones. Date, 
October 22, 1900. 
"Pieter Faure," No. 13245. Cove Eock, N. | E. 5^ miles. Depth, 
43 fathoms. Collected by dredge. Nature of bottom, stones and broken 
shells. Date, August 2, 1901. 
"Pieter Faure, No. 655. S.S.W. of Cape Eecife. Depth, 256 fathoms. 
Collected by dredge. Date, November 24, 1898. 
" Pieter Faure," No. 2819b. Yasco da Gama, N. 71° E. l^ miles. 
Depth, 230 fathoms. Collected by dredge. Nature of bottom, stones. 
Date, May 4, 1900. 
" Pieter Faure," 795c. About 2J miles S.E. off E. London. Collected 
by dredge. Depth, 32 fathoms. Nature of bottom, sand, shells and rocks. 
Date of collection, December 28, 1898. 
"Pieter Faure," No. 14430. Cape Hangklip, N.E. | N. 28i miles. 
Depth, 100 fathoms. Collected by shrimp trawl. Nature of bottom, green 
sand. Date of collection, February 26, 1902. 
This species differs from the form described by Kiikenthal and May as 
iltf efa?C2/o?mm ^a/(X^omc2^m in the following points : the occurrence of spicules 
in the lower part of the polyp ; the presence of 14-16 pairs of pinnules 
instead of 10 pairs ; the circular ring of spicules in the polyps is not 
prominent ; the polyps are much larger, and the form of the specimen is 
not club-like. 
From the specimens which I described in a previous paper as Metalcyonium 
patagoniciim, May, this variety may usually be distinguished by the much 
harder and somewhat stony consistency of the outer surface of the stalk 
of the latter forms, while the stalk of Metalcyonium variabilis var. 7noUe has 
in the preserved state a more leathery consistency. 
