516 REVISION OF THE AXINELLIDiE, ii., 



conuli, 1 to 2 mm. in length, which give to them a somewhat 

 spinose aspect. The enci-ustiug base of the sponge attains a 

 maximum thickness of about 10 mm. centrally, and thins out 

 peripherally almost to a film; its upper surface is sliglitly 

 irregular and uneven, and provided with usually inconspicuous 

 jonuli. The thin and semitransparent dermal membrane is-- 

 underlaiti, between the conuli, by extensive subdermal spaces, 

 and is not of reticulate appearance. The other specimens (one 

 of which is shown in PI. xxx., fig.6) are much less extended 

 horizontally, and are relatively more elevated than the preceding 

 two, and might be described as intermediate in form between 

 them and the specimen of A. victoriana illustrated in PI. xxxi., 

 fig.3. Otherwise, they exhibit no noteworthy point of difference, 

 excepting that the dermal membrane is, for the most part, 

 minutely reticulate. The colour in life has been described as 

 " cinnamon, with the projections deep chrome." The consistency, 

 especially of the encrusting specimens, is rather soft and lacking 

 in toughness. 



The skeleton in the digitate processes is similarly constructs d 

 as in the processes of A. victoriana. In the encrusting base of 

 the sponge, it consists, in the thinnest portions thereof, simply 

 of single, vertically-running, stout main fibres connected in a 

 somewhat irregular fashion by inter-reticulating slender trans- 

 verse fibres; but, in the thicker portions of the base, the main 

 fibres, as they ascend, become irregularly branched and also 

 interunite with one another by anastomosis. On approaching 

 the surface, the main fibres (which vary from 150 to 300/a in 

 stoutness) usually become slightly plumose. The spiculation 

 differs in no way, except in the complete absence of microstron- 

 gyla (and of spherulai), from that of the preceding species. 



Allantophor.\ ciocalyptoides(?), var. reducta. 



(PI. xxx., fig.8.) 



The single specimen (PI. xxx., fig.8) consists of a sessile erect 



plate, — 5 to 10 mm. in thickness, 110 mm. in length, and 35 to 



45 mm. in height, — prolonged above, in a pectinate fashion, into 



3, series of very gradually tapered, almost subuliform, digitate 



