257 



the dry state the colour is dirty white, and the consistence hard 

 and leathery. The specimens vary considerably, four being 

 single, and four multiple ; the former are smooth and swollen 

 at the lower half, and terminate in a conical tube with conulated 

 surface, and with an oscule at the summit. The multiple 

 specimens have from two to five oscular tubes rising from the 

 fused basal portion. The largest specimen has a massive sub- 

 globular base 8 cm. in diameter, with two cones, each 7 cm. in 

 length. The whole surface is covered with a very fine sandy 

 layer, which clothes also the main ex-current canal passing 

 from base to summit. The conules (1-2 mm. high) cover the 

 whole surface in some specimens, but only the upper part in 

 others. The finely reticulate poral area (with meshes 100 /x in 

 diameter) is either sharply limited to the upper half or extends 

 over nearly the whole surface. The skeletal scaffolding, which 

 conforms more or less to the shape of the specimens, consists 

 of vertical main fascicles of fibres (350 fi) extending from base 

 to summit, and joined web-like • layers of horny network. 

 Sometimes the fascicles and single fibres are accompanied by 

 lines of foreign spicules, and occasionally the latter form a core 

 in the centre of the fascicles or the fibres themselves. Fibres 

 vary from 1 5-60 fj. in diameter, and are usually free of foreign 

 bodies. 



The filaments, which form a fasciculated network ui the 

 body and a felt-like layer beneath the cortex, are wavy, 2.75 /j. 

 wide, with pyriform heads 11 x 5.5 ^ in diameters ; these bodies 

 are thicker (6 /x) and with more globular heads in the Australian 

 specimens, and the brown spots present in the latter do not 

 occur in the South African specimens. 



Localities. — C. Tugela River mouth, 65-80 fathoms ; bottom, 

 hard ground. D. Cape Vidal, Natal, 80-100 fathoms ; bottom, 

 rock. G. O'Neil Peak, Natal, 55 fathoms ; bottom, broken 

 shells. 



Distribution. — Port Phillip and Port Jackson, Australia; 

 Natal. 



Genus Psammopemnia (Marshall). 



Psammopemma inordinatum, sp. n. 



Plate VI., Fig. 21, 21a. 



Sponge massive, hemispherical, attached by a flat base. 

 Surface rendered irregular by numerous foreign bodies beneath 

 the dermal membrane. Dermal membrane smooth, but with 

 irregularly shaped finely reticulate poral areas. Small circular 

 oscules, few in number, 1-2 mm. in diameter, flush with the 

 surface. 



