170 
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
"Pieter Faure," No. 10880. Umhloti Eiver mouth, N. by W. ^ W. 
8J miles. Depth, 40 fathoms. Collected by large dredge. Nature of 
bottom, sand and shells (hard ground). Date, December 18, 1900. 
AcEOPHYTUM CLAViaER, Hicksou. 
Syn., Metalcyonium natalense, St. Thomson. 
In 1910 I described a specimen from off Umhloti River mouth (Natal) 
as Metalcyonium natalense. The advantage of having a large number of 
specimens for comparison has shown itself, as I am now enabled to place 
these as identical with the form described by Hickson as Acrojphytum 
claviger. In 1910 I failed to recognise the presence of siphonozooids, 
regarding the smaller zooids as only young autozooids, and this mistake is 
understood in the light of Hickson's statement that " it is impossible to 
distinguish except in a series of sections the young retracted autozooids from 
siphonozooids." 
The various specimens of this species are interesting in showing (1) the 
differences between expanded and contracted examples, (2) the varied 
relative lengths of the basal and upper parts of the colony (in one specimen 
the zooids extend far towards the base), (3) the varied shape of the upper 
part of the colony, sometimes club-like, at other times almost spherical. 
It is clear that this species, especially in the preserved state, may vary 
very much in external characters, but that the character and arrangement of 
the predominantly club-shaped spicules is unmistakable. My specimens 
agree in the main with the description of this genus and species given 
by Hickson, differing mainly in the occurrence of zooids towards the base of 
the colony, and that Hickson does not mention the presence of a few rods or 
simple spindles in the interior of the coenenchyme. The specimens were 
procured at the following localities : 
" Pieter Faure," No. 10994. Off Umhloti Eiver mouth. Depth, 39 to 
40 fathoms. Nature of bottom, sand and shells. Collected by large dredge. 
Date of collection, December 21, 1900. 
" Pieter Faure," No. 12322. Port Shepstone, N. 8 miles. Depth, 36 
fathoms. Collected by large dredge. Nature of bottom, broken shells and 
stones. Date of collection, March 14, 1901. 
"Pieter Faure," Nos. 12475 and 12478. Red-topped hill, west of 
Umtwalumi Rocks N. by W. 2 miles. Depth, 25 fathoms. Collected by 
dredge. Nature of bottom, broken shells, etc. Date of collection, March 
22, 1901. 
"Pieter Faure," No. 12168. Durnford Point, N.W. by N. 11 miles. 
Depth, 45 fathoms. Collected by dredge. Nature of bottom, shells and 
stones. Date of collection, February 28, 1901. 
" Pieter Faure," No. 11845. Duruford Point, N.E. by E. 9 miles. Depth, 
