BY E. P. KALLMANN. 305 



ever, are examples of species of Suhtrites, and both exhibit 

 much the same pattern of skeleton as that apparently of the 

 species described. For one thing, their spicules are too large, 

 — the maximum sizes of these, in the two cases, being respec- 

 tively 800 by 14/x and 10-40 by 19/x, as against 700 by 8 /x, tin; 

 size stated by Lendenfeld ; and in addition to this, the spicules 

 of the second {i.e., the British Museum) specimen are not 

 "constricted below the bulb," and are almost as frequently 

 rounded off at the apex as they are "sharp-pointed," while 

 those of the first-mentioned, although actually narrowed to- 

 wards the base and gradually sharp-pointed at the apex, are 

 characterised, not by a "spherical bulb," but by one, the sur- 

 face of which, as a rule, is uneven and somewhat tuberculate. 

 Lendenfeld also states, concerning the spicules, that "the bulb 

 is situated a little below the termination : the truncate end of 

 the spicule appears as a slight centrally situated excrescence 

 of the bulb" ; but in neither of the specimens do the spicules 

 exhibit such a peculiarity, save exceptionally. 



Nevertheless, in view of the frequently only rough approxi- 

 mation to accuracy of the measurements and descriptions of 

 spicules given in the Catalogue, I should, perhaps, have been 

 disposed to regard the Australian Museum specimen as a 

 genuine example of the species, but for the fact that it also 

 fails to comply with the description in certain additional 

 respects. The description states that the sponge "always 

 forms the abode of a crab" ; that the largest Australian speci- 

 mens measure only 35mm. in breadth and 15mm. in height: 

 and that the main exhalant canals, 1mm. wide, "are not rare 

 in the interior and pour their contents into the wide and short 

 oscular tube." On the other hand, the specimen is merely 

 borne loosely (in the form of a thick concave plate) upon the 

 back of a crab; measures 60mm. long by 45mm. broad; and 

 is without apparent oscula or canals visible to the naked eye. 

 This specimen is apparently of the same species as one in the 

 British Museum labelled ''Suherites lamella, Port Jackson." 



There is also included, among the fragments received from 



