222 J. G. WALLER ON A NEWLY DISCOVERED BRITISH SPONGE. 



also of others, in making two forms of bihamate spicule out of 

 what is certainly but one. The contort bihamate and the reversed 

 bihamate (vide " Brit. Spongiadae," Vol. iii., PI. LXIL, 5, 6, 12, 13) 

 are not different forms at all, but only the same in different positions. 

 By bending a piece of wire to the shape you can easily show it pro- 

 duces also the other appearance by mere change of position. In this 

 sponge you see it in every possible view, and it completely demon- 

 strates what I have stated. This is one of the cases amongst many 

 in which vision by the microscope should be guided by reasoning, 

 and not be depended upon for a final result in determining forms 

 without its continuous exercise. 



It is always satisfactory when we can add a new object to our 

 fauna, and thus extend our knowledge of the class to which it be- 

 longs. Still more is it interesting when the new form has some 

 remarkable speciality, as seen in this sponge. I am happy therefore 

 to place a record of it before our Society, regretting much, that at 

 present, the knowledge of it should be confined to the one small 

 speck which I have been enabled to conserve. In the dry state in 

 which I found it the colour appeared to be dark brown, but I am 

 not certain if this might not have been due to the colour of an ex- 

 traneous substance upon which it had developed. I propose to call 

 it Hymeraphia forceps, classing it under Dr. Bowerbank's system. 



Hymeraphia Forceps. J. G. Waller. 



Sponge coating, consisting of a simple membrane strengthened by 

 spicules. Skeleton composed of a fascicular arrangement of spicules 

 lying horizontally, connected by a few single ones, but without any 

 definite order. Spicules clavate, cylindro-arcuate, rather long, the 

 membrane thickly interlaced with bihamate spicules, with a few 

 larger ones, as it were, clamping them together, three times their 

 size. Intermingled with these are a few equi-anchorate, bidentate, 

 and tridentate spicules, the larger ones abnormal in the flukes and 

 in the flanges, the smaller more numerous and more equal ; also a 

 forcej)iform spicule having the arms equal, rather stout, termina- 

 tions rounded, incipiently spined throughout, and somewhat uneven. 

 They diverge slightly at base : at the arch, on one side only, is a 

 heart-shaped bulbous inflation. Also a few arcuate, entirely spined 

 spicules, which project outwards as if for defence, very sparsely dis- 

 tributed. Spines more numerous and pronounced at the base. 



Habitat. — Hope's Nose, Torquay. Parasitic. Examined in the 

 dry state. Colour unknown in the living condition. 



