THE 



VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENOEE. 



ZOOLOGY. 



KEPORT on the Hexactinellida collected by H.M.S. Challenger during 

 the Years 1873-76. By Dr. F. E. Schulze, Professor of Zoology in 

 the University of Berlin. 



PEEFACE AND HISTORY OF THE WORK. 



In December 1879, I was asked by Sir WyviUe Thomson to examine some specimens of 

 Euplectella aspergillum, which had been procured on the Challenger Expedition, and 

 which had been preserved with special care for histological purposes. The results of 

 my investigation were to be published as part of the Report of the Challenger Expedi- 

 tion. Though at that time engaged in the study of the Adriatic Sponges I did not 

 hesitate to concur with the request, as I was strongly attracted by the prospect of 

 being able to study the hitherto almost unknown soft structure of the Hexactinellida. 

 I soon received, from the Challenger office in Edinburgh, an entire specimen of 

 Euplectella aspergillum (from oif Zebu), preserved with its soft parts in methylated 

 spirit, and six bottles containing fragments of the same species preserved in absolute 

 alcohol, or in other preservative media, such as chromic acid, picric acid, acetate of 

 potash, glycerine, &c. 



After the results of my investigation of this, in part, well preserved material had 

 been published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1880, vol. xxix. 

 p. 661, Tab. A), Sir Wyville Thomson asked me to work over with him all the 

 Hexactinellida obtained during the expedition. He was to undertake the study of the 

 skeletal structures, whUe the investigation of the soft parts was to be entrusted to me. 

 To this I readily agreed, and began at once with the examination of some samples, which 

 had been previously sent to me at Graz. 



(ZOOL. CHALL KXP. — PART LIII. 1886.) Ggg 1 



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