330 REVISION OF THE MONAXONID SPONGES, 11., 



through the sponge; they are variable (20 to 100 /x) In width, 

 and their spicules — as are also the scattered spicules oJ the 

 skeleton — are shorter and slenderer than most of those com- 

 posing the reticulation. Strings of spicules analogous to these 

 are met with in Tedania and Hemitedania. The dermal skele- 

 ton is an irregular polygonal reticulation of pauciserial fibres, 

 the meshes of which average about 120 /x in width. 



The oxea are slightly curved, gradually sharp-pointed, and 

 measure 60 to 115 /x in length by 4*5 fx in stoutness. 



The flagellated chambers are spheroidal, and closely 

 arranged; they measure about 40 /x in diameter. The nuclei 

 of the choanocytes are large, averaging slightly more than 

 2*5 /x in diameter. 



Lor. — Port Jackson. 



Remarks.— Vnd&v the name Reniera australis, Whltelegge{53) 

 has recorded several specimens from Funafuti which, in my 

 opinion, after examination of the original preparations, be- 

 long to two different species both distinct from the sponge 

 described above. In one of these species, the skeleton consists 

 of a unispicular reticulation and of scattered foreign particles ; 

 while, in the other, the spicules do not form a meshwork at all, 

 but are disposed in a quite irregular halichondroid fashion. 

 The oxea in both species attain a length of between 130 and 

 140 /x. 



Dragnewitsch(16), in a paper which I have not seen, has also 

 recorded as Reniera australis Lendenfeld, a sponge from 

 Singapore. 

 Reniera megarrhaphea. (PL xvll., figs.5, 6; and text-fig.3). 

 Initroductory . — Whether this species Is properly represented 

 b}^ the specimen described by Whitelegge, it is not at present 

 possible, with complete certainty, to say. The chief reason 

 for doubt is the fact that the specimen, which unfortunately 

 is only a small portion of the original, fails to enable one to 

 reconcile it with Lendenfeld 's description as regards external 

 features ; it is not digitate or lobose, but is portion of what, 

 to all appearance, was a massive sponge unprovided with lobes 



