Factory cast iron 413,426,440 Dual quad intake with Carter competition 5eries 500 CFM carbs

What is the hose plumbed into the bottom of the plenum for?
That's a marine manifold, it uses hot water for preheat instead of the usual exhaust crossover (note the lack of exhaust crossover passages on the manifold sealing surfaces). Hot water is plumbed in through the NPT holes on the top of the passages and out through the bottom (and I believe the center top) holes.