130 
THE VOYAGE OE H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
Turritigera stellata, n. sp. (PL XXIV. fig. 1). 
Character. — Zoarium composed of four or five short furcate branches, springing from 
a common peduncular centre, and forming a stelliform growth. A few scattered anterior 
avicularia (with a duck-bill shaped mandible pointing downwards). Dorsal surface 
finely rugose, studded with numerous minute papilliform eminences, supporting small 
avicularia. 
Habitat . — Station 320, lat. 37° 17' S., long. 53° 52' W., 600 fathoms, green sand. 
Station 142, lat. 35° 4' S., long. 18° 37' E., 150 fathoms, green sand. 
This very remarkable form appears to be more nearly allied to Retepora than to any 
other generic group, but the very curious conformation of the oral portion and aperture, 
and its other peculiarities, seem to justify its being considered as generically distinct. 
The inflated, ventricose, or flask-shaped zocecia, rise into a long and usually free 
tubular process, around whose opening spring several cylindrical columnar processes 
(fig. 16), each supporting on its summit a small avicularium. But besides the 
columnar processes, there is always a larger one on the posterior side ; of a conical 
form, and having its avicularium below the summit. The number of these avicularian 
processes increases with the age of the zooecium. The first to make its appearance is the 
hinder conical one, then appears one on each side of a cylindrical form, then a third or 
fourth in front. The armature of the peristome, therefore, and especially the posterior 
conical process, is very similar to that of many Cellepores ; and in the same connection it 
may be remarked that here and there may be noticed an adventitious zooecium of smaller 
size, but otherwise of the same conformation as the others springing from the front of 
one of the older zocecia. 
Although, generally speaking, the zoarium shows the oral orifices only on one 
face, occasionally an opening may be seen on the dorsal aspect. In one instance of this 
kind the elongated stem of a young Comatula, or Crinoid of some kind, may be seen 
issuing from the orifice (fig. Id). 
Family XVIII. Cribrilinida;, Hincks. 
Cribrilinidcti , Hincks, Brit. Mar., Polyz., vol. i. p. 182. 
Escharidai (pars), Johnst., &c. 
Menibraniporidce (pars), Busk. 
Eschariporidce (pars), Smitt. 
Eschar ellidoe, &c., d’Orb. 
Character. — Zoarium crustaceous, or adnate (lepralian), or erect and umlaminar 
(hemescharan). Zocecia, front with transverse or radiating fissures or rows of punctures 
without fissures. Mouth simple, suborbicular, sometimes mucronate or semicircular ; • 
with or without a median suboral pore. 
