90 BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF 



Skeleton. The skeleton can hardly be considered as reticu- 

 late, although ill-defined fibers, 3 or 4 spicules in width for 

 the most part, are present. In addition there are many scat- 

 tered spicules so that the skeleton resembles that of Halickon- 

 dria more than it does the typically reticulate renierine 

 skeleton. 



Spicules. These are short, stout, slightly bent oxea, char- 

 acteristic of Reniera. They vary in different specimens from 

 .109 mm. to .219 mm., but within the individual there is little 

 variation and a definite modal length is apparent. In four 

 different specimens the spicules vary in length from: 1) .121 

 mm. to .203 mm.; 2) .161 mm. to .178 mm.; 3) .145 mm. to 

 .178 mm.; 4) .146 mm. to .182 mm., but all of these have a 

 modal length of .162 mm. 



Lambe has described a new species, Reniera mollis, which is 

 found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Davis Strait. This 

 form has a skeleton consisting of fibers which 'S^ary from 

 two to three spicules in breadth, though they occasionally 

 become unispicular. " However, the skeleton is described as 

 a 'regular reticulation' of these fibers. The specimens from 

 this region show variations in spicule size which include the 

 sizes reported by Lambe for R. mollis and by Lundbeck. The 

 figures for R. mollis Lambe (1893, pi. 2, fig. 3) and R. Jietero- 

 fibrosa Lundbeck agree very well in showing the same mode 

 of growth. As R. heterofibrosa Lundbeck has a somewhat 

 irregular skeleton whereas R. mollis Lambe is described as 

 having a regular reticulum, the forms from this region show 

 a greater affinity to the former, although the identity of the 

 two species seems probable. 



Geographical distribution. Iceland (Lundbeck) ; Mount 

 Desert Region. 



Reniera ventrilabrum Fristedt 



Lundbeck (1902, p. 40, pi. 11, figs. 6, 7). 



This species is represented by several well-preserved speci- 

 mens taken at Stations D 43 and 39, on hard bottom, depth 

 35 to 70 feet. All of them are erect and attached bv a short 



