H. B. Kirk. — On New Zealand Sponges. 207 



Leucosolenia challengeri, Pol. (" Eeport on the Calcarea 

 of the ' Challengei' ' Expedition," p. 38.) 



This sponge occurs in Cook Strait, in the neighbourhood 

 of Welhngton. The " Challenger " specimen is from Cape 

 York. Aly specimens are all of the Auloplegma form. I 

 have not yet seen the Soleniscus form, which is that of the 

 "Challenger" specimen. Length of the sponge, as found 

 near Wellington, ahout 20mm. Half the length is made up 

 by the slender, solid peduncle. Of two specimens that I have 

 sectioned, one has no mesodermal ingrowths, and the other 

 has ingrowths of Dendy's type F. 



Leucosolenia cerebrum (Ascaltis cerebrum), Haeckel. 

 ("Kalkschwamme," ii., 54.) 



A sponge with the apical rays of the 4-radiate spicules 

 beautifully spined in their distal portion occurs— not very 

 freely— in Cook Strait. These apical rays echinate the inner 

 surface of the ascon-tubes in the usuaf manner. I have no 

 hesitation in referring it to Haeckel's Ascaltis cerebrum. A 

 pseudoderm is always present, so far as I have been able to 

 observe, but I have not noticed the irregularity in the pseu- 

 dodermal spicules referred to by Haeckel. I have found these 

 spicules regular and massive, with the tips of the rays in- 

 curved in the regular tripod fashion. Size, 0-08mm. x 

 0-002mm. They closely resemble those of L. intermedia 

 (Plate IV., fig. 2). Well-marked ingrowths of the mesoderm, 

 of Dendy's typeE, occur. 



Haeckel's locality for this sponge is Lesina, m the 

 Adriatic. 



Leucosolenia proxima, Dendy. 



If my identification of this sponge is right, it forms in 

 New Zealand handsome yellow- or orange-coloured colonies 

 from 10mm. to 25mm. in diameter, and with numerous os- 

 cules. The spicules of the pseudoderm have the rays slightly 

 incurved, so that the centre is raised a little from the plane 

 in which the points of the rays lie ; the rays themselves 

 taper rather less regularly than in the type, and they are a 

 little more sharply pointed. It is quite possible that this is a 

 different sponge from L. proxima, but at present I do not 

 regard the differences as specific. 



The canal system shows ingrowths of type E and also of 

 type F. 



The sponge forms colonies of tw^o external characters : 

 light-yellow^ in colour and loose in texture, and orange in 

 colour and compact in texture. Slight differences in spicula- 

 tion occur, but not constant and pronounced enough to justify, 



