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

;596 COLLECTIONS FKOM THE AVE8TERN INDIAN OCEAN.appears as if covered by a dease fine incrustation ; the vents aresmall, "5 to 1 millim. across, placed on both sides of the fronds. Theprimary fibres are strongly sand- cored for some distance below thesurface, but little or no sand occurs in the centre of the frond.Var. complexa of Hyatt seems to be founded on fresh specimens,whereas his typical form seems to have sufi'ered from abrasion.Hah. Glorioso Islands, beach.Distribution. Australian seas {Lamarck) ; Mauritius ( Garter) ;Zanzibar {Hyatt).Ohs. I have had the advantage of being able to examine originalspecimens of Carter and Lamarck while making my identification.HIRCINIID^.9. Hircinia fusca.Carter, Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. 1880, vi. p. 36.Branched cylindrical solid stems, 8 millim. in mean diameter,becoming somewhat dilated at the ends ; conuli of skeleton onlyabout 1 millim. high. Central core of foreign bodies in primary andsecondary fibres not large, and sometimes absent here and therefibres also coated in places with foreign bodies ; diameter of primariesabout 'IS millim., of secondaries '1 millim. Mr. Carter'sdescription is extremely short, but seems to be sufiicient for thepurpose of the present identification. A skeleton occurs in thepresent collection.Hah. Boudeuse Island, Amirante group, 10 fms.Distribution. Ceylon {Garter).10. Hircinia byssoides.Spongia byssoides, Lamarck, Ann. Miis. Hist, Nat. xx. p, 375.Some small horizontally-spreading sessile specimens, about 4millim. in thickness and 30-40 millim. in greatest diameter. Texturein spirit, with sarcode attached, harsh, firm. Primary fibres coredat intervals with small core of foreign bodies, about -07 to -1 millim.wide ; all fibres strongly laminate, of light to dark amber-yellowcolour. Diameter of primary fibres '1 to '24 millim., of secondaries•1 to -14 miUim. There is also an intermediate system of narrowuncored fibres, -035 to "05 millim. wide. Colour (in spirit) black.Conuli about 1 millim. high, 2 millim. apart.This species agrees fairly well with Lamarck's species, of which Ihave examined a specimen, but the fibre is decidedly stouter. Theform is rather that of his var. p, which is described in the words" massis planulatis"; the original specimen of this in the ParisMuseum is firm and harsh to the touch, like the present specimen.Hah. Glorioso Islands, Seychelle Islands, 7-12 fms.Distribution. Southern Seas or Australia {Lamarch).