REPORT ON THE MONAXONIDA. 195 



cattered in the soft tissues, length about 0'0126 mm.; breadth extremely variable ; these 

 bundles appear of a distinctly Ijrown colour, a character which is also noticeable in 

 Thrinacophora funiforniis, nobis. 



In the arrangement of the skeleton and the general form of the megasclera, and in the 

 possession of trichodragmata, this sponge bears a most marked resemblance to Thrinaco- 

 phora funiformis, nobis, and the two are evidently very nearly related. The charac- 

 teristic forked spicules of the latter are represented in the present species Ijy the 

 slender styli, and have probably been derived from some such form of spicule (or 

 possibly vice versa). 



We placed this species first in the genus because we considered it to be the least 

 highly modified of the two. 



Locality.— ^iaXion 208, January 17, 1875; lat. 11° 37' N., long. 123° 31' E.; 

 Philippine Islands ; depth, 18 fathoms; bottom, blue mud. Two specimens. 



Jlirinacophor a funiformis, Ridley and Dendy (PI. XXIII. figs. 1, lo, \h, Ic, Id, le, 



1/ Ig; PL XXIV. figs. 1, la, ll). 



1886. Thririacophora funiformis, Ridley and Dendy, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. xviii. 



p. 484. 



Sponge (PI. XXIV. figs. 1, la, lb) of fairly definite form; always cylindrical and 

 more or less elongated ; may or may not be branched. The largest specimen in the 

 collection is unbranched except close to the base, where there is a slight trace of 

 branching ; it is about 450 mm. long,' flexible and rope-like, and about 6 mm. in average 

 diameter. A second specimen (PI. XXIV. fig. la) evidently younger, is of very diffierent 

 and more definite form. Arising from a flattened and expanded base there is a short, 

 straight peduncle, which, at a height of about 12 mm., divides into two branches, one of 

 which again divides into two. Total height about 81 mm. Sponge composed of a 

 dense, fibrous axis with a soft external coat of a pulpy consistency. Colour in spirit 

 dirty yellow. Surface very uneven, thickly beset with rather stifi", smaU, projecting 

 conuli. Dermal membrane distinct and very granular. Oscula small, scattered. Pores 

 not seen (the specimens are not in very good condition). 



Skeleton. — There is a very thick and dense central axis of spiculo-fibre from which 

 other fibres radiate to the surface, there entering into the numerous projecting conuli. 

 It is not easy to make out any other definite skeleton, although there are a great number 

 of spicules scattered through the soft tissues of the sponge. 



Spicules. — (a) Megasclera; (l) long, slender styli (PI. XXIII. figs, la, 1&), straight 

 or curved, with evenly rounded base and tapering very gradually to a very fine point at 

 the apex ; size very variable, up to about 1*8 by 0*025 mm. (2) Long, slender, unequally 



1 The end appears to have been broken off; doubtless the specimen when perfect was a little longer, though 

 probably not much. 



