﻿2'J2 



•ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIPIC EESULTS. 



certain uneven and pitted condition of the surface in the dry 

 specimen mentioned above ; but when, as in the other speci- 

 mens, the dermal membrane is intact, the surface is generally 

 free from inequalities. 



With regard to the oscula in the specimens examined by 

 him, Carter says concerning .4. chalinoides, that they are 

 "often accompanied by a stelliform radiation," due to "col- 

 lapse of the dermal sarcode over subjacent excretory canals" 

 immediately surrounding them ; and concerning A. chalinoides, 

 var. crihrosa, that they are "deeply sunk into the tissue and 

 rendered stelliform by grooves radiating from them to the 

 surface." Although in the case of the present specimens no 

 such appearance is exhibited, the facts concerning them to 

 which I have referred, render it conceivable that this is due 

 merely to difference in condition of preservation. 



The arrangement of the fibres is very similar to that of O. 

 axinelloides, but the meshes are of more uniform size. Oxeote 

 modifications of the principal megascleres have been observed, 

 but they are rare. The slenderer principal megascleres are 

 scarcely or not at all distinguishable from the shorter auxiliary 

 megascleres. 



Loc. — Port Phillip, Victoria (Carter; Austr. Mus. Coll.). 



Ophlitaspongia tubulosa, sp. nov. 



(Plate XXXV., fig. 3, and fig. 60.) 



Sponge with the habit and texture of Siphonochalina ; 

 sessile, with short erect tubes arranged in panpipe-like 

 series. Surface even. Skeleton a tolerably regular reti- 

 culation of slender, though tough and dense, horny 

 fibres ; the main fibres only, are very sparsely cored with 

 straight stylote and {very rare) oxeote spicules, cylin- 

 drical to within a short distance of the pointed extremity, 

 and attaining to a maximum size of 120 x 4 p. Ouasi- 

 echinating spicules of like kind are of occasional occur- 

 rence. Scattered inter stitially, though chiefly or entirely 

 confined to membranes stretched between the fibres, are 

 {relatively) moderately abundant megascleres of perhaps 

 two kinds, viz. : {i.) Straight styli {and rare oxea) of 

 .similar shape to those of the fibres, but usually much 

 longer, and somewhat slenderer, with a maximum size of 

 220 x J. 5 ji ; and (n.) very slender flexuous styli and oxea 

 attaining a maximum length of about 260 p. Microscleres 

 absent. 



