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

594 COLLECTIONS FKOM THE WESTEKN INDTAN OCEAN.5. Phyllospongia madagascarensis.Carteriospongia madagascarensis, Hyatt, Mem. Bost. Soc. ii. p. 542.Extremely variable in external form, viz. from single flexiblecylindrical stems about 2 millim, in diameter to palmate frondsarising from similar stems, forming large compound growths ; thecylindrical form also occurs compound ; the same colony may showtransitions from the cylindrical to the palmate type. A spirit-specimenof the cylindrical form has a pale brownish-yellow colour, andits surface is seen under the lens to be very minutely hispid with theprojecting ends of the primary fibres. The primary fibres are mostlysomewhat, though slightly, sand-cored near the surface (much lessthan in C.pennatula) ; they measure about "04 millim. in diameter,the secondaries somewhat less ; fibres very pale yellow in spiritspecimens,colourless in dry skeletons. Surface-texture much finerthau in 0. jiennatula ; surface never broken up into the ridges andgrooves which distinguish macerated specimens of that species.Vents slightly projecting, and sparsely distributed up and down thecylindrical axes ; abundant, not projecting, on one side of the palmatefronds, diameter about "7 millim. Consistence in all casesvery soft and flexible in the macerated state. Owing to the unbrokencharacter of the surface, this species is best placed under Pliyllosj)ongia.I am indebted to Dr. Polcjaeff for pointing out theimportance of this character in Pliyllospo^igia.Hah. Amirante Islands, beach and 17 fms.Distribution. Madagascar {Hyatt).Phyllospongia madagascarensis, var. supraoculata, nov.(Plate LIII. figs. M, M'.)Some s])ecimens of firm texture, not readily compressible, withvery smooth dense surface ; form simi^le palmate, much and deeplydivided or multicaulate ; sometimes partly cylindrical. Vents verysmall, viz. about -4 millim. in diameter, on one side of the frond andalso on its free margin. Meshes of skeleton very close (^. e. primariesonly •! millim. apart at surface) ; sand-cores of primaryfibres extending a very short distance below the surface. Colour,in dry state (well preserved specimens), cream to pure white.Several small specimens, the greatest height and lateral expansionbeing about 70 millim. (2|- inches).Hah. Providence Island, Mascarene group ; African Island, Amirantegroup, beach.CARTERISPONGIA.Carteviosp:>ugia, Hyatt, Mem. Bost. Soc. ii. p. 640.Mauricea, Carter, Amu Sf Mag. N. H. 1877, xx. p. 174.Curiously enough, these two generic terms were published withinfour months of each other {Carteriospongia, May, Mauricea, September,1877). As, however, the former, besides having this slight