98 BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF 



small ones. The large anisochelae range in length from .064 

 mm. to .097 mm., with a mode at .081 mm. The small aniso- 

 chelae vary in length from .022 mm. to .056 mm., with the 

 mode at .028 mm. The sigmata are both simple and contort 

 and average about .02 mm. in length. 



The specimens from this region seem to be lacking in 

 rhaphides or else they are so scarce as to have entirely 

 escaped notice, although they were especially looked for. 

 However, Topsent records that **here and there, some rha- 

 phides exist in bundles or scattered, and if the rhaphides are 

 sometimes lacking it occurs in specimens identical in every 

 other respect to those which possess them." 



Geographical distribution. Davis Strait (Fristedt) ; off 

 Newfoundland (Topsent) ; Gulf of St. Lawrence (Lambe) ; 

 northeastern coast of United States (Verrill) ; Greenland 

 (Lundbeck) ; Mount Desert Region. 



Mycale ovulum (0. Schmidt) 



Lundbeck (1905, p. 34, pi. 1, figs. 6-8; pi. 10, fig. la-e). 



One small specimen of this species was taken at Station 

 67, encrusting the stem of a hydroid, depth 330 feet. Another 

 large specimen was obviously encrusting, probably on a stone. 



Skeleton. Consists of a rather regular network of poly- 

 spicular fibers irregularly connected usually by single trans- 

 verse specules. 



Spicules. Megascleres are styli which are usually rather 

 abruptly curved with the curve nearer the blunt end. These 

 styli vary in length from .162 mm. to .243 mm., with the mode 

 at .203 mm. Microscleres are palmate anisochelae of two 

 sizes ; otherwise they are identical. The large ones vary from 

 .037 mm. to .043 mm. in length, and the small ones from .0179 

 mm. to .024 mm. These anisochelae are characterized by the 

 smaller end being larger than usual, and thus more nearly 

 approaching the other end in size, which is characteristic for 

 the Mycale anisochelae. The small anisochelae are much more 

 abundant than the large ones, which are quite scarce, and 

 according to Lundbeck, are not always found in all indi 



