PLATE LXXXVIII. 309 



ISODICTYA VARIANS, Bowerbank. 



Halichondria cinerea, Johnston. Mon. Brit. Spongiadse, vol. 



ii, p. 281. 



PLATE LXXXVIII. 



Sponge ramose, pedicle short, branches slender, cylin- 

 drical, terminating hemispherically, dividing dichoto- 

 mouslyortrichotomously; surface even, minutely hispid. 

 Oscula small, slightly elevated, usually arranged in lines, 

 on one side of the branch. Skeleton symmetrical; 

 primary lines rarely more than unispiculous ; secondary 

 lines unispiculous ; rete rarely more than one spiculum 

 wide; spicula sub-fusiformi-acerate, short and stout, 

 with a few short and stout acuate and cylindrical 

 ones intermixed with them. Interstitial membranes, 

 spicula sub-fusiformi-acerate, rather slender. 



Colour. In the dried state ; light ochreous yellow. 



Habitat. - - Shetland : Mr. Barlee, mouth of the 

 Mersey, near Liverpool ; Mr. T. Higgin. 



Examined. In the dried state. 



