﻿J -J •ENDEAVOUK" SCTENTIFIC RESULTS. 



slisilit cxtoif the i)iii('i\ nsiuillx rciiscti into few or ))nniv 

 nianiniifonii, or nmrc or less irre<:[uhir elevations. Osciila 

 small, confmeil to tlie inner surface {fide LendenfeJc]). 

 Skeleton-fibres stout; botli main and connecting, almost 

 oitirely composed of closely-packed oxeote spicules. 

 Spicules: — {/. ) Someivhat angulately curved oxea of very 

 variable proportions, usually ivith the extremities some- 

 7vhat blunted, and oftoi slightly monilated ; their greatest 

 size varies in different specimens from 410 x ij }i to 620 x 

 iS yi : (/'/.) sub-cyli}idricid acanthostyles with distal ex- 

 tremity stro)igylotely rounded; spines more or less com- 

 pressed transversely to the length of the spicule, and re- 

 curved ; at both extremities of the spicule the spines are 

 smaller and more crowded ; the maximum size of the spi- 

 cule varies i)i different specimens from 705 .v 10 ji to 1 jo x 

 12. 5 p; (iiiy) slefider styli of variable diameter up to 

 about 5 )i which are possibly you)ig stages of the first- 

 mentio)ied . 



The pre\ ious accounts of this species are so misleading in 

 regard to the dimensions of the spicules thdt a re-description 

 which will rendty further reference to them unnecessar} , is 

 desirable. Owing, however, to the imperfect preservation of 

 the available specimens — six in number, all dry, and more or 

 less macerated — an entirely satisfactory description is not at 

 present possible. With regard to external features, the 

 original description of Kalykenteron elegans, says: — "A very 

 elegant, conical, cup-shaped sponge attaining a height of 220 

 mm. The margin of the cup is circular and has a diameter of 

 120 mm. Both surfaces are very irregular and covered with 

 numerjDus projections of varying size and shape. The outer 

 surface is somewhat rougher than the inner. The small cir- 

 cular oscula are confined to the latter." Concerning Kaly- 

 kenteron silex, Lendenfeld states: — "The sponge consists of 

 a meandriform lamella which grows up from a small base of 

 attachment; it is somewhat flower-shaped, often caliculate. 

 The whole sponge attains a height of 120 mm. The lamella 

 is pretty uniformly 6 mm. thick and rounded at the margin." 



The specimens before me, with the exception of that labelled 

 Kalykenteron silex (type), range in form from conical cup- 

 shaped to shallow saucer-shaped, and are attached by a nar- 

 row base not prolonged into a stalk. The largest example is 

 the tvpe-specimen (Plate xxiii., hg. i ) which measures 225 mm. 

 in height, and has the cup wall 6 to 10 mm. in thickness. It 

 is now much compressed, but this is probably due to artificial 

 influences; in the others, the cup-margin is circular. The tApe 

 specimen agrees with one other, in ha\ ing the outer surface 



