324 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



Genus Dictyociona, Topsent 



Dictyociona discreta (Thiele) (Plate LVI, figs. 3-4). 



Microciona discreta, Thiele, 1905, p. 447, fig. 65; Dictyociona discreta, Topsent, 1913, p. 618, 

 pi. iii, fig. 5. 



Occurrence. St. WS 79: Falkland Islands, 131-132 m.; St. WS 95: Falkland Islands, 108-109 m.; 

 St. WS 243: Falkland Islands, 144-141 m. 



Remarks. On examining a piece of the holotype, I find that the smooth parts of the 

 acanthostyli are not so well defined as Thiele's drawings would suggest. Usually spines 

 are present on those parts, but they may be few and only feebly developed. 



Distribution. Calbuco; Gough Island. 



Dictyociona terrae-novae (Dendy). 



Clathria terrae-novae, Dendy, 1924, p. 353, pi. xii, fig. 5, pi. xiv, figs. 9-13. 

 Occurrence. St. 157: South Georgia, 970 m. 



Remarks. This species shows a strong likeness to Clathria toxipraedita, Topsent, and 

 C. mortemeni, Br0ndsted, and it is possible that all three may prove to be not only 

 congeneric but also conspecific. 



In the present specimen, the most noteworthy feature is the variability in the main 

 megascleres, which show all stages between the large smooth styli and the acanthostyli. 

 The main skeleton consists of columns of styli running towards the surface and con- 

 nected at intervals by short fibres containing a few spicules only. The whole is echin- 

 ated with acanthostyU. Auxiliary spicules in the form of slender subtylostyli are also 

 present. The main megascleres are smooth styli in which the base may be entirely 

 tuberculate or bear only a few tuberculations ; or the spicule may be sparsely tuberculate 

 throughout. The apex also may be simple, or spined, or truncate and tuberculate. The 

 dimensions are 0-42 by 0-015 ^^- The echinating acanthostyli are entirely spined, with 

 the spines particularly concentrated at the base, and measure o- 18-0-27 t>y 0-003 rn"^- 

 The auxiliary subtylostyli are smooth and straight, with a crown of inconspicuous spines 

 at the base, and measure 0-105 by o-oo8 mm. The microscleres are palmate isochelae, 

 o-oii mm. chord, and toxa, with spiny ends, 0-065-0-09 mm. long. 



Distribution. New Zealand. 



Genus Axociella, Kallmann 

 Axociella nidificata (Kirkpatrick). 



Ophlitaspongia nidificata, Kirkpatrick, 1907, p. 274; id., 1908, p. 25, pi. xxii, fig. 6; pi. xxvi, 

 fig. 5; Axociella nidificata. Burton, 1929, p. 433. 



Occurrence. St. 148: South Georgia, 132-148 m.; St. 187: Palmer Archipelago, 259 m.; St. 190: 

 Palmer Archipelago, 93-130 m. 



Distribution. Victoria Land. 



