Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

;SrONGIIDA. 40940. Reniera aquaeductiis.Reniera aqufeductus, Schmidt, Spong. Adr. Meer. p. 73, pi. vii. figs.(), Ga, (Sb.Tvro specimens, 65 and 70 millim. (2| and 2| inches) long,branched, forming very thick-walled tubes which open at the extremitiesof the branches, appear to represent this species. Thebranches and stem are somewhat irregular in outline, and decidedlycompressed antero-posteriorly ; their surface is rendered uneven byvery low, almost obsolete ridges or eminences, though it is smoothbetween these ; maximum diameter of stem and branches 7 to 12millim., that of lumen of tube 3 to 4 millim. Texture in spiritfirm, slightly compressible, moderately tough ; normal colour apparentlya pale brownish grey. Main skeleton—a rather irregularnetwork of primary and secondary spiculo-fibres, about 4 to 6spicules broad, with much interstitial 1- or 2-serial spicular network;dermal skeleton composed of long compact spiculo-fibres, 6 to 12spicules broad. 8arcode pale yellowish, slightly granular. Spiculeschiefly smooth acerate, curved, tapering gradually to sharppoints from about four diameters from ends, or subacuate, taperingsomewhat to the rounded end, or strictly acuate with well-roundedhead; size *17 to '19 by •Oil millim.Hah. Port Darwin, between tide-marks.Distribution. Adriatic (Schmidt); Black Sea (Czeniiavsly).The Adriatic form has a decided tough uniting material betweentjie ends of the spicules, and the tube is relatively wider in the specimenfigured by Schmidt, otherwise the two forms appear to agree.I find the spicules in a slide obtained from Prof. Schmidt to measure•19 by -0095 millim. in average maximum dimensions ; he himselfgives (Atl. Geb. p. 40) •16852 millim. for the length."Reniera, yellow" of Carter (Ann. N. H. (5) vi. p. 48, pi. v.fig. 17), from Ceylon, is probably not far from this species, but thespicule appears to be about half as stout again as here.41. Eeniera testudinaria. (Pla.te XXXIX. fig. DPlate XLI. figs. t(, u'.)Alcyoniimi testudinarium, Lamarck, Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. i. p. 1G7.One of the present specimens originally formed part of a muchlarger one, probably as much as 6 inches long by 6 broad by 2hthick, covered with prominent jagged ridges ; the other is a finecup-shaped form, with wide mouth, thin edges, the ridges onl}' appearingnear the base. The skeleton-fibre is stout, strong, polyspicular,and of the Renierid type ; it is composed of stout, smooth,cylindrical spicules, rounded at each end, sometimes tapering somewhatto the ends, and of a small number of smaller acerate forms,tapering suddenly to their points ; average maximum size about -32by •OIG millim.The species belongs to that group of l{enierida> which ^Ir. Carter,in his "Xotes Introductory to the Study and Classification of the