BY E. F. HALLMANN. 655 



nung erkennen." So far as one can judge, it seems probable 

 that the skeleton, on the whole, is arranged irregularly, in a 

 moi-e or less halichondroid fashion ; and this is the type of 

 skeleton-pattern which would result if, in Desmoxya hinata, the 

 reticulum of interstitial and connecting spicules merely increased 

 in degree of development and complexity at the expense of the 

 connecting fibres. The spined microscleres of Holoxea furtiva 

 are looked upon by Topsent as sanidasters, and he has accord- 

 ingly referred the genus to his proposed family Streptasteridse; 

 l)ut these microscleres, it seems to me, might with ecpial pro- 

 priety be regarded as microxea, — and, indeed, in Topsent's original 

 description of the species were so designated: furthermore, in 

 //. furtiva and H. coUectrix, as in Desmoxya, the spined micro- 

 scleres are accompanied by trichodragmata, which latter are 

 unknown to occur in association with definitely astrose micro- 

 scleres elsewhere in the Monaxonida. Whether certain genera 

 with spined microxea, like Desmoxya and Higginsia, properly 

 admit of inclusion in the family Axinellidai is open to question; 

 but Holoxea certainly appears to resemble Desmoxya much more 

 closely than it does any other genus, and on that account, per- 

 haps, ought to be placed in proximity thereto. 



Genus Higginsia Higgin. 



Definition. — Axinellidte(l) of various external form; typically 

 erect-lamellar, with entire or lobate margin, or sometimes tending 

 to become palmo-digitate or f rondose; seldom ramose; occasionally 

 massive, with or without digitate processes. Skeleton usually 

 more or less condensed axially; typically consisting (extra-axially) 

 partly of more or less plumose main fibres or spicule-colunins 

 running to the surface, and partly of an irregular reticulation of 

 spicules connecting the main fibres; either of these components, 

 however, may be much reduced or absent. Or the extra-axial 

 skeleton may consist (either throughout or only in its outer 

 region) of bundles or bands of long styli radiating to the surface, 

 and of sheaves of smaller and slenderer spicules surrounding 

 these. Spongin present in small to moderate quantity. Mega- 



