246 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



As to the young specimens, from 10 to 5 mm. in size, so thoroughly studied by 

 Wyville Thomson, it is to be noted further that besides the already mentioned ovoid 

 form of the body, the slender development of the fir-tree-like distal ray of the dermal 

 pinules is striking. 



3. Pheronema grayi, Sav. Kent. 



This Portuguese species is distinguishable, even on external macroscopic inspection, 

 by its likeness to the nest of a chaffinch, and by the scattered disposition of the lateral and 

 basal prostalia, which are not grouped in bundles. Though there was no specimen at my 

 disposal for more intimate study, I shall attempt to sum up the characteristics on the 

 strength of the descriptions and figures before me, and as the result of notes which I 

 made on some specimens in the British Museum. The breadth and height of the 

 two-third spherical form are approximately equal, and measure 10 to 12 cm. The loose 

 beard-like root-tuft has a length of 26 to 60 cm. or more. The circular oscular aperture 

 measures 5 cm. in diameter, and bears on its margin a continuous annular fringe of 

 perpendicularly projecting needles, of which the freely projecting j)ortions are about 

 10 em. long. While the prostalia lateralia over the rest of the external surface are 

 uniformly but sparsely scattered, there is here, as in Pheronema carpenteri, a thicker 

 zone, about 12 mm. below the marginal fringe. The zone consists of pleuralia, projecting 

 radially, or directed somewhat oblic|uely outwards and upwards. When the sponge was 

 brought on board " the sarcode investing and constituting the sponge body was," according 

 to Saville Kent {loc. cit., p. 284), "of a brilliant orange colour." 



In regard to the spicules, it is to be noted that they essentially agree with those of 

 Pheronema carpenteri, and from the report which I have given above in regard to the 

 prostalia of Pheronema carpenteri, it will be seen that even " the long attenuate spinu- 

 late forms and others with straight spines " which Saville Kent figures as characteristic 

 of Pheronema grayi, are not absent from the former. It is possible that the spinose 

 needles with a five-pointed terminal and external knob, which I found in Pheronema 

 carpenteri projecting as lateral prostalia from the neighbourhood of the oscular margin, 

 are absent in Pheronema grayi, but this supposition requires to be corroborated by direct 

 investigation, which I have not been al)le to accomplish. 



4. Pheronema hemisphssricum (Gray). 



As W. Marshall has noted, the genus Laharia erected by Gray (with a single S2:)ecies, 

 Laharia heynisphsericum. Gray), cannot be separated from PJieronema, Leidy. This form 

 (from the Philippine Island, Zebu) has been described by Gray, Carter, and with special 



