270 PLATE LXXXII. 



abundantly furnished with comparatively large at- 

 tenuato-stellate retentive spicula ; radii few in number 

 and with minute cylindro- stellate spicula with numerous 

 radii. Connecting spicula attenuato-patento-ternate, 

 very large and long ; radii short and stout, sub-geni- 

 culate : projecting in large expanding fasciculi to the 

 dermal surface where their apices are corymbose. 

 Skeleton spicula sub-fusiformi acerate, long and stout. 

 Interstitial membranes abundantly furnished with the 

 same forms of retentive spicula as those of the dermal 

 membrane, and also with a few large doliolate spicula. 



Colour. In spirit, light green. 



Habitat. Off Guernsey; Mr. W. Saville Kent. 



Examined. As it came from the sea, in spirit. 



This remarkable sponge was obtained off Guernsey 

 by Mr. W. Saville Kent, during his dredging expedition 

 with Mr. Marshall Hall in his yacht Norna in 1870. 

 It is rudely conical in form, two and a half inches high, 

 and a half inch in diameter at the base of the cone, 

 and half an inch at its apex. There is no trace of any 

 former attachment, and it has every appearance of 

 having been rolled about freely on the bottom of the 

 sea. It has attached to all parts of its surface nume- 

 rous small pebbles and two univalve shells ; twenty of 

 these are about the size of peas and a great many 

 more smaller ones. It is firm and very incompressible, 

 and is of a light green tint of colour. Where the 

 surface is free from extraneous matters it has in its 

 present state, preserved in spirit, a finely granulated 

 appearance and feels rough to the touch, in consequence 

 of the projection of the heads of the ternate connect- 

 ing and large external defensive spicula. On some parts 

 of the surface protected by the attached pebbles, by 

 the aid of a two-inch lens, there are indications of 

 minute hispidation by the projection of the large 

 external defensive spicula, which are of the same size 

 and form as those of the skeleton, but this indication 

 was very partial. I could not detect the oscula even by 

 the assistance of a lens. 



