1887.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. l^f) 



(7) Spongilla nitens, Carter. Ann. etc. 1881, p. 89. 



"Form of sponge unknown. Structure reticulate ; fibre rigid, 

 <'omposed of bundles of spicules united by a transparent colorless 

 sarcode, which, in the dried state, gives it a hardness and vitreous 

 appearance like that of Spongilla corallioides Bk. Skeleton spicule 

 curved, cylindrical, smooth, sometimes very slightly inflated in the 

 centre and at the extremities, which are round. Statoblast globular; 

 aperture infundibular ; crust composed of pyramidal columns of do- 

 decahedral or polyhedral cells hexagonal in the section, regularly 

 arj-anged one above another, in juxtaposition, perpendicularly to 

 the outside of the chitinous coat, on which, by the intervention of a 

 layer of the statoblast spicules, they rest ; surrounded by a layer of 

 minute, fiisiform, curved acerates, thickly sjiined, especially over the 

 ends, where the spines are longest and recurved, arranged tangeut- 

 jally ; the same kind of layer immediately round the chitinous coat, 

 where the spicules appear to be intermixed with the lower cells of 

 the crust, leaving the latter free between the two." Carter. 



Loc. Unknown ; probably South America. River Ugalla, 

 near Lake Tanganyika, Central Africa. (See Spongilla bohmii.) 



(8) Spongilla navicella, Carter. Ann. etc. 1881, p. 87. 



"Sponge unknown. Skeleton spicule curved, fusiform, smootlj, 

 gradually sharp-pointed. Statoblast adherent to the twig on whicli 

 the sponge had grown ; globoelliptical ; aperture terminal, infundi- 

 bular ; no apparent crust ; chitinous coat encased with a dense lay- 

 er of minute, stout, short, thick, more or less curved, fusiform, 

 smooth acerates, variable in size, becoming so short internally, (that 

 is where they are in immediate contact with the chitinous coat,) as 

 to be trapezoidal or like a little boat or "cocked hat," according to 

 direction in which they are viewed ; arranged tangentially, crossing 

 each other." Carter. 



Loc. River Amazons, S. A. 



To the above description by Mr. Carter I am able to add but lit- 

 tle that is positive, excepting that so far as it goes it is most accu- 

 rate. Upon a leaf connected with the twig that supports a specimen of 

 Parmula broivnii, var., received from Dr. Rusby, I find a dozen or 

 more gemmules, easily identified as belonging to this species. They 

 are sometimes entirely solitary ; sometimes in groups of two to four or 

 more of varying sizes, but without other association than the interven- 

 tion of some grayish sedimentary matter that has not been proven to 

 belong to a parent sponge. In no case do I find evidences of envelop- 



