162 BRITISH SPONGIAD2E. 



Genus 23. RAPHIODESMA, Bow. } m, 235. 



= RapModerma, Bowerbank. Last Rep. Dredg. Shetland, Norman 

 on Porifera, Brit. Assoc. Rep., 1868 (1869), p. 333. 



1. RAPHIODESMA FLOREUM, Sow., n, 190; m, 94, PI. 

 XXXVII, figs. 1419. 



186-6 Hymeniacidon floreum, Bowerbank. n, 190. 

 1867 Carmia floreum, Gray. Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 537. 

 1870 Esperia florea, Schmidt. Spong. Atlant. Geb., p. 7G. 

 1874 Rapliiodesma floreum, Bowerbank. in, 94, pi. xxxvii, 

 figs. 1419. 



Habitat. On living shells of Pecten varius. covering 



O ' O 



thickly the valves, Laminarian zone, "Westport Bay, 

 Oo. Mayo. The living sponge is of a purplish hue 

 (N.). 



2. BAPHIODESMA LINGUA, JJow., 11, 187 ; in, 237, 354, 

 PI XLVII, fig. 8, and LXYII, figs. 16. 



1861 Halichondria lingua, Bowerbank. List Brit. Marine 

 Invert. Fauna (Brit. Assoc.), 1861, p. 69. 



1866 Hymeniacidon lingua, n, 187. 



1867 Myeale lingua, Gray. Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 533. 



1868 Rapliioderma coacervata, Bowerbank. Last Report 



Dredging Shetland Isles, Norman on Porifera, Brit. 



Assoc. Report, p. 333. 



1870 Esperia lingua, Schmidt. Spong. Atlant., p. 76. 

 1874 Rapliiodesma lingua, ill, 237, 354, pi. xlvii, fig. 8, and 



Ixvii, figs. 1 6. 



This is the most massive and largest of British 

 sponges. The specimen in my collection, described in 

 vol. iii, p. 354, as eleven inches high, six inches and 

 three quarters in breadth near the base, four inches 

 near the middle, and one inch and a quarter in thick- 

 ness, of tongue-like form, is evidently after all, large 

 though it is, only a portion of the entire sponge. The 



