PORIFERA. I. 87 



The measures given here for the spicules of this species, agree with those given by Top sent 

 (I.e. 1S96) for specimens taken by Caiidan , but, as more particnlarh- mentioned by Topsent in the 

 place cited, the .sijicules of the species appear to be subject to some variation; thus he mentions spe- 

 cimens in which the tylostyli only reach a length of o-5"'"'; also the small sigmata seem sometimes to 

 be quite wanting, or, on the other hand, sometimes to be found in somewhat larger numbers than the 

 large ones; the size of toxa, on the contrary, is constant. 



Biemma aiuiexa was first mentioned by Schmidt I.e. as a variety of his Desmacella vaga- 

 biiiida ; Vosmaer, in 1S80 I.e., supposes it to be a separate species, but it was first established as a 

 separate species by Ridley and Dendy in 1887. Topsent who in 1890 1. c, reestablishes Gray's old 

 genus Biemma for the forms belonging here, which forms are distinguished from Desmacella h\ the 

 halichondroid structure of the skeleton, first refers the present species (under the name of Biemma 

 Chevreuxi^ as he took it to be a new species) to the genus Bieniina^ but in 1892 1. c. he says that on 

 account of the presence of toxa it belongs to the genus Desmacella. In the occurrence of toxa I 

 cannot, however, see any reason for referring it to Desmacella; on account of its skeletal structure, 

 which by the only little marked fibres and by the want of spongin quite agrees with that of the other 

 Blemma-s])ecies, it has just to be referred to the genus Biemma. 



Locality: Station 97, 65" 28' Lat. N., 27' 39' Long. W., depth 450 fathoms, one specimen and two 

 fragments. 



Geogr. distr. This species has a wide range north of the equator having been found from 

 about ca. 18" Lat. N. up to 65' 28' Lat. N. As to bathymetrical range it has been found on depths from 

 500 fathoms to ca. 21 fathoms. The Antilles, depth 390 fathoms (Challenger); Florida, depth 195 fathoms 

 (Schmidt); in the Mediterranean in the Gulf of the Lion on depths of ca. 60— ca. 21 fathom.s, at the 

 coast of Asturias, depth ca. 66 fathoms; in the Gascony Bay, depths ca. 345 fathoms and 500 fathoms, 

 and southwest of Belle-Isle, depth ca. 60 fathoms (Caudan); in the western entrance of the English 

 Channel, depth 500 fathoms (Carter); at the western coast of Norway southwest of Bukenfjord, depth 

 106 fathoms; and finally in the Denmark Strait 65° 28' Lat. N., 27" 39' Long. W., 450 fathoms (Ingoif). 



Note. Topsent, in 1892 enumerates the until then described ^/,?;///;/«-species, and mentions 

 four : B. inoriiata Bow., corritgata Bow\, Grimaldii Topsent, and Dautsenbergi Topsent. As before said, 

 Daiitzenbergi is s>^nonynious with rosea Frstdt. In the present work I further refer annexa Schmidt 

 to this genus. Finallv the Gellius infnndihiilifoi'mis, established by Vosmaer (Sponges of Willem 

 Barents , Bijdr. tot de Dierk. i2te Afl., 3fHe Gedeelte, 29, PI. I, fig. 13, PI. IV, figs. 34— 37) the spiculation 

 of which is t}-lostyli and sigmata, will probabh- have to be referred to this genus. Thus at present 

 the genus Biemma appears to comprise the following species: 



Biemma inornata Bow. 



— coryiigata Bow. 



— amiexa O. Schmidt. 



— rosea Frstdt. 



— Grimaldii Topsent. 



— ii//itiidibtili/orjnis Vosm.? 



