249 



lo cm., the breadth 3.5 cm., the thickness of body 6 mm., and 

 length of stalk 2 cm. 



The surface is covered with small conical papillae, which 

 show a radial tendency towards the periphery ; the colour is 

 brown. 



The fibres of keratode are thick and rather hard. The 

 megascleres are : — Smooth styles, 530 x 10 m, slightly curved 

 near the base ; echinating spined style, 120 x 10 m, straight ; 

 dermal styles, 250 x 11 /', spined at the base. 



The microscleres are : — Toxa, 154 x 4 /*, spined at the ends ; 

 slender palmate isochelae, 11 m in length ; thick contort sigmata, 

 65 X 3 F. 



In the British Museum collection there are several thin 

 stipitate flabellate specimens of this species from Port Elizabeth, 

 labelled Echiiioiiema anchoratiim, Cr. 



Locality E. — Cone Point, Natal, 34 fms. ; bottom, broken 

 shells. 



Distiibution. — S. and S. W. Australia; Port Elizabeth and 

 Natal. 



Clathria mollis, sp. n. 

 Plate v., Fijj. 15. Plate VI., Fig. i6a-d. 



Sponge forming a thick-walled soft sub-caliculate growth, 

 with thick rounded rim. 



Surface smooth. A few small circular oscules, 1-2 mm., 

 scattered over both surfaces. Consistence like soft rubber. 



Colour, grayish - brown, speckled with numerous whitish 

 specks due to foreign particles, the latter being plentiful on the 

 surface and in the interior. 



Skeleton formed of a network of very thick, soft fibres of 

 spongin, sometimes cored with spined styles, sometimes with- 

 out core, but echinated by similar spined styles usually half 

 immersed in the keratode ; foreign bodies present in the fibres 

 and in the ground substance ; with a dermal layer of oxeas. 



Spicules. Megascleres. — Spined style, 130 x 11 m, straight, 

 with short vertical prickles. 



Dermal ampKitornote, 165 x 5.5 f, usually more gradually 

 attenuated at one end than at the other. 



Microscleres. — Sigmas, abundant and varying greatly in size, 

 the largest being 38 x 2 /x, contort and with sharp points. 



Isochele, 17.5 ^ in length, tridentate, the central tooth being 

 5 fj. in length ; with strongly curved keel. 



Locality A. — East London coast, 85 fms. 



In one important point the new species differs from the 

 typical Clatliria, viz., in the absence of smooth styles forming a 



