148 BRITISH SPONGIADJ3. 



of the skeleton; tension spicula acuate, long and 

 slender, very few in number ; retentive spicula biha- 

 mate, simple and contort, large but slender, very few 

 in number ; also bidentate equi-anchornte minute and 

 rather numerous ; and dentate palmato-equi-anchorate, 

 few in number. Skeleton primary lines multispicu- 

 lous, spicula rather numerous, acuate, short and stout ; 

 secondary lines rarely more than bispiculous. Inter- 

 stitial membranes spiculous ; spicula same as those of 

 the dermal membrane, but fewer in number. 



" Colour. Alive, orange ; dried, ochreous yellow. 



"Habitat. Roundstone Bay, Ireland; Rev. A.M. 

 Norman. 



" Examined. From spirit. 



" I received this sponge in a small bottle of spirit 

 from the Rev. A. M. Norman. It consists of five 

 small tumulous masses irregularly disposed on a 

 portion of the roots of Fucus. The largest does not 

 exceed half an inch in height, and very little more in 

 its greatest basal diameter. There is no appearance of 

 hispidation of the surface of the sponge to the unas- 

 sisted eye, but when a section at right angles to the 

 surface is mounted in Canada balsam it becomes strik- 

 ingly apparent. It is produced by the projection of 

 the distal termination of the primary lines of the 

 skeleton for about the length of a single spiculum, and 

 when thus projected they separate at small angles to 

 the axis of the skeleton-fibre, thus forming slight 

 groups of very effective external defensive spicula. The 

 oscula are situated one on each tumuloid mass of the 

 sponge ; they are slightly elevated and when fully 

 developed have a thin margin, and have every appear- 

 ance of being cloacal orifices rather than oscula. 



