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

408 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA,genus. The first species, Suberites typus, Nardo, does not appear tohave been recognized by authors ; the nest is Alcyonium domunculaof Olivi, the Rpneniacidon suberea of Bowerbank, the spiculation ofwhich consists of a simple spinulate. Even if we include in the genusthe third species, Suberites Jlcus, Nardo (probably the HymeniacidonJicus of Bowerbank), which possesses, in addition to the spinulate, acylindrical flcsh-spicule with a central inflation, those free compactSuberitidae, with skeleton spinulate, whose flesh-spiculc is a modifiedstellate ("spinispirula,"' Carter), cannotbe admitted to the same fellowship,and Schmidt's genus SpirastreUa must receive all such. BesidesSpirastrella cunctatrix and vidua, Schmidt, Hymeniacidon angidafa,Bowerbank, Alcyonium purptireum, Lamarck, and several otherspecies enumerated by Mr. Carter in his valuable " List of Suberites "lately published (Ann, & Mag, N. H. 1882, ix, p, 349 and followingpages) must be included in the genus. To any one who has noticedthe practical identity in spiculation between typical S])irastrellce andnumerous species of Vioa (e. g, jolinstoni, Schmidt, and several describedby Hancock as Cliome), it must be a matter for seriousconsideration whether the boring habit and that general arrangementof their tissues which is expressed by Mr, Carter by the termLaxa, which he has applied to the group in which he places Cliona andVioa, are of sufficient importance to justify their being kept distinctfrom their non-boring allies, the SpirastreUce. To me it seems verypossible that they may some day be demonstrated to possess a freestate, corresponding to PainUina suberea, Schmidt {=^Bhaphyrusyriffithsii, Bowerbank), which Mr. Carter has found to be merelythe free condition of Vioa ( Cliona) celaia ; such a fi'ee state shouldbe carefully watched for,98, Spirastrella vagabunda. (Plate XLIII. figs, e, e.)" Suberites, ? sp. undesciibed. Trincomalee."* Carter, Ann. 8,- Mag.N. H. 1882, ix. p. 352.Massive, attached by broad base, tending to grow up into largenodular elevations, which may bear one or more vents. Generalsurface slightly verrucose (in spirit), more so in large dry specimens,smooth over and between inequalities of surface. Colour (in drystate) pale to dark yellowish brown, in spirit olive greenish brown.Vents of two kinds :—(1) At summit of the large elevations ofsurface, one or more (sometimes 5 to 8) on each ; opening level withsurface ; suboval in uncontracted state, 2 to 10 millim. in greatestdiameter, leading into wide and deep excretory canals, (2) Ongeneral surface of sponge, usually between the lesser inequalities ofthe surface, subcircular, with thickened margins, about -8 millim. inaverage diameter,* In the Trincomalee specimen described by Mr, Carter the vents are notplaced at the apices of the lobes of the sponge, the adult spicule is scarcelyspinulate at all, and measures only "0127 millim. in diameter, and the spinispirulseappear to be scarce. For these reasons it appears desirable to distinguishit under the name S. vagabunda, var. trincomaliensis.