SPONOES. 191 



Ixinella and put it iu Phakellia, if indeed the distinction between these two genera 

 is to be maintained. 



Fig. 4. Phakellia donncmi (Bowerb.), from Gulf of Manaar, nat. size. A, flabellate ; B, cup-shaped form. 



RN. 10, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23 (all from Gulf of Manaar); 160; 160a; 160b; 160c ; 

 181, 181a (the last two from Stat, XLIIL, off Kaltura, depth 22 fathoms, 

 February 19, 1902). 



Phakellia symmetrica, n. sp. Plate XIII., fig. 3. 



The single specimen is a short-stalked, flabellate sponge, the somewhat compressed 

 stalk widening out not very suddenly into a single vertical expansion with evenly 

 rounded margin and without any proliferation. The two surfaces are exactly alike ; 

 minutely conulose with small circular openings (? inhalant pores) everywhere between 

 the conuli, and with numerous stellate vents scattered at moderately wide intervals. 

 Towards the margin the surface becomes longitudinally grooved rather than conulose, 

 and there are also a few marginal vents. Colour (in spirit) dull yellowish-grey ; 

 texture compressible, resilient, tough. Total height of specimen about 55 millims. ; 

 length of stalk about 16 millims. ; greatest breadth of frond about 41 millims. ; 

 thickness of frond in the middle about 8 millims. 



The skeleton is composed of moderately stout, slightly plumose fibres curving 

 upwards and outwards to the surface (where they terminate in the small conuli) and 

 connected together by short, irregular cross fibres, so as to form an ill-defined 

 reticulation with many spicules scattered irregularly in the interspaces. The skeleton 

 fibres contain much spongin, not very conspicuous, however, on account of its pale 

 colour. 



Spicules. Styli (occasionally oxeote) of two principal varieties : (.) Comparatively 

 short and stout (Plate XIII., fig. 3, a, b) ; more or less curved towards the base, 

 which is evenly rounded off, and gradually and sharply pointed at the apex ; size 

 about 0'23 millim. by 0"009 millim. (b.) Comparatively long and slender (Plate XIII., 

 fig. 3, d), slightly curved towards the base, which is evenly rounded off, and gradually 

 and finely pointed at the apex ; size about 0"5 millim. by - 008 millim. 



This pretty little sponge may prove to be merely a variety of Phakellia donnani, 

 connected with the typical form by the flabellate variety figured in my paper on the 

 Sponge-Fauna of Madras (2). For the present, however, it is perhaps better to keep 

 the two distinct, 



R.N. 159 (Muttuvaratu Paar, 8 fathoms). 



