444 
between the spicules in the axis, adding to the strength of this 
latter; it issnes from the shaft at about a right angle to this and 
to the bigger cladus; it is a little backwards curved, only about 
400 // long; it is nearly always thinner than the bigger cladus, 
about 30 in a few spicules it is entirely missing, thus giving 
rise to orthomonaenes (fig. 4c). 3. 0> . a (fig. 4d), long sien¬ 
der, thickest in the middle, tapering to fine j^oints, about 4000 x 
52 they are found both in the main and the cloacal skeleton. 
4. Oxyasters (fig. 4e) comparatively few in number; rays rather 
siender, conical, ca. 16 in total diameter. 5 . Chiasters (fig. 4 f) 
with comparatively large sphere and short rays, which are not always 
distinctly tyloted, 7 —8 [i in total diameter; they are exeedingly 
numerous. 7. Trichodragmata (fig. 4 g), resembling scales of 
butterflies, more or less truncated at one end, more or less pointed 
at the other; about 28 x 6,5 (. 1 . 
Donatia japonica (Soli.). 
Tethya japonica So 11 as 1888 (16). 
For further synonyms vide Dendy 1916 (3) p. 262. 
As I have no wish to accumulate the number of more or less 
ill-defined species of the greatly varying genus Donatia, I have 
tried to insert the several specimens of the collection from New- 
Zealand in the specific limits given by Dendy in 1916 ( 3 ); as 
a result of this all specimens seem to belong to Donatia japonica 
(Soli.). 
The diameter of the specimens ranges from 5—90 mm. I 
shall give here som details of spicula-sizes, as it is of great inter- 
est to know the variational range of a given species. It is an in- 
teresting faet, that the styli are generally bigger in the larger, that 
means older, specimens, ranging up to ca. 4000 p in the largest 
ones. 
Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, The coast. 18/XI.1914. Styli up 
to 1300 p, asters 19 p and 40—45 p. — Halfmoon Bay, Stewart 
Island, the coast. 19/XI.1914. Styli up to 1700 p, asters 45 p and 
40 p. — Rangitoto, Auckland. The coast, under stones. 27/XII.1914. 
Styli up to 1400 /t, asters 15 p and 60 p. — Bay of Islands. The 
coast. 31/XII.1914. Styli up to 1000 p, asters 15 a and 45 p. — 
2 miles East of North Cape. 55 fathoms. Hard bottom. 2/1.1915. 
