﻿2IO "ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



these superficial echinating spicules, a transition of forms 

 intermediate between the accessory and principal styli are 

 met with. In this respect the species resembles C. in- 

 anchorata, R. and D. The arrangement of the principal 

 styli in the inner skeleton is to a great extent independent of 

 that of the fibres. The principal styli are curved spicules of 

 very variable length ranging from less than 200 to upwards 

 of 450 ji long ; it is rarely that they exceed a size of 400 

 X 25 jf ; they are typically provided at the base with larger 

 spines for about 20 to 40 }i of their length and beyond that 

 with very minute sparsely scattered spines. The accessory 

 acanthostyles, which also are curved, vary in length from 

 about 100 to 200 fi and the stoutest are about 15 ;t in diameter ; 

 it is impossible, however, to aflfix any precise upper limit to 

 their length since they gradually pass into the form of the 

 principal styli ; their basal end is closely covered with clavate 

 spines whilst the shaft is provided with sharp-pointed recurved 

 spines. The auxiliary spicules are straight subtylostyli which 

 are basally tipped with a few minute spines. They are plenti- 

 fully scattered through the tissues and are particularly 

 abundant in the dermal layer where they lie for the most part 

 horizontally; they are 150 to 240;* in length and may reach 

 a diameter of 8 fi. Palmate chela?, 7 to 10 ^ long. Slender 

 tricurvate toxa, 80-1 50 ji long. 



Somewhat related to Clathria clathrata, though of quite 

 different habit, is the sponge which Whiteleggei regarded as 

 Echinoncma anchoratum, var. lamellosa, Lendenfeld, and for 

 which I now propose the name Clathria spicata. White- 

 legge's description is misleading in several respects. The 

 species is known from a single dry specimen of flabelliform 

 shape. The surface which is bare of any traces of a dermal 

 investment is ornamented by minute discontinuous longitudi- 

 nal ridgings with frequent transverse connections ; and is 

 dotted with numerous small rounded holes which probably 

 represent the openings leading into the incurrent canals. The 

 skeleton reticulation is very irregular and the connecting 

 fibres are destitute of a spicular core. The coring spicules, 

 which include both accessory and auxiliary spicules in addition 

 to the principal, are for the most part disposed plumosely in 

 a rather disorderly manner and often project beyond the 

 spongin-sheath. Fascicles of spicules also occur independently 

 of the fibres. The accessory acanthostyles echinating the 

 fibres of the interior may reach a length of i2o;i or more, but 



1 Whitelegge— Rec. Austr. Mus., iv., 2, t901, v. 82. 



