DENDY CALCAREOUS SPONGES 87 



The skeleton is composed, as in the type, of a thin layer of slender dermal 

 triradiates (Fig. 9o), a thin layer of slender gastral quadriradiates (Fig. 96), with 

 some triradiates, and a thick layer of much larger triradiates (Fig. 9c) in the 

 chamber layer between the two. The latter are quite irregularly arranged. The 

 dermal and chamber-layer triradiates are perhaps less strongly sagittal than in 

 the type. There are a few large oxea (Fig. 9d) arranged more or less at right 

 angles to the surface, but with their outer ends broken off short. 



The dermal triradiates (Fig. 9a) are considerably smaller and more slender than 

 in the type. The gastral quadriradiates (Fig. 96) have more slender rays than 

 those of the type, but they may be longer. The chamber-layer triradiates (Fig. 9c) 

 are altogether smaller and of more slender build. The oxea (Fig. 9d), however, are 

 considerably larger than in the type. 



This specimen (R.N. IV. 8) may be taken as the type of the variety. 



Another specimen (R.N. IV. 17a, Fig. 4a) is of very irregular, sac-like form, 

 and has a delicate oscular fringe of hair-like oxea. There was no such fringe in 

 the type of the species, nor have I been able to find one in R.N. IV. 8, but I 

 cannot say whether or not its absence is due to abrasion. It may possibly be a 

 characteristic feature of the variety. R.N. IV. 176 is a damaged specimen closely 

 resembling R.N. IV. 17. I have been unable to determine whether or not it has 

 an oscular fringe. There are indications in R.N. IV. 17a that the outer ends of 

 the large oxea may be lance-headed. 



R.N. III. 5 (Fig. 46) is a small specimen, also of curiously curved form, 

 attached to a stony Polyzoon colony (Retepora ?) whereby its surface has been 

 protected from abrasion. The large oxea in this case project far beyond the 

 dermal surface, and many, if not all, of them are distinctly lance-headed. There 

 is also a feebly developed oscular fringe of trichoxea. 



The chief distinguishing features of the variety appear to be the comparatively 

 large size of the oxea and the comparatively small size of the triradiates of the 

 chamber layer. The lance-headed form of the oxea is perhaps a specific character, 

 which I have reason to believe occurs in the type of the species (in which it is 

 shown by the broken off outer end of one spicule very clearly). 



Register Numbers and Locality. III. 5, off Dwarka ; IV. 8, IV. 9c, IV. 17a and 6, 

 off S.W. Coast of Beyt Island. 



5. Leucandra wasinensis (Jenkin). (Plate I. Fig. 5.) 



Leucilla wasinensis Jenkin [1908]. 

 Leucandra wasinensis Dendy [1913]. 



I refer to this species a single small specimen (Fig. 5), about 4 mm. in height 

 (exclusive of the oscular fringe of slender oxea, which is very prominent). The 



