EY WILLrA:M A. JIASWELL, M.A., E.SC. 209 



Giideavoiii' to procure specimens for me, and I consequently with- 

 drew from my publication my previous note in the expectation of 

 acquiring further material. Specimens of the Victorian species 

 have not come to hand ; but a few days ago Mr. E. P. Bamsay 

 succeeded after a persevering search in finding largo specimens 

 of a species of Meyenia in the river Bell at Wellington. 



Only one species of Australian Fresh-water sponge has been 

 described, it is the species named by Bowerbank"^' Sponffill'^ 

 Capewelli, from Lake Hindmarsh, Victoria, a species differing 

 considerably from both the New South AVales and the Queens- 

 land species. 



Spongilla sceptroides, sp. n. 



Sponge green, encrusting, smooth, moderately elastic, not 

 crumbling. Skeletal spicules very slightly curved, fusiform, acute 

 at both ends, ornamented with scattered minute projecting points, 

 which only become visible under a fairly high power. Statoblast 

 spherical, defended b}' long, slender, straight, cylindrical spicules 

 which are armed with numerous acute spinules, chiefly aggregated 

 round the extremities, where they form distinct heads, the inter- 

 mediate shaft having but two or three very small spinules. 



Found in a pond near Brisbane, growing on submerged branches 

 and twigs. 



Spongilla botryoides, sp. n. 



Sponge yellowish, flat, encrusting. Skeletal spicules curved, 

 fusiform, acute, usually with scattered, extremely minute project- 

 ing points. Statoblast protected by a crust of short, strongly 

 curved spicules which are provided at each end with a head com- 

 posed of numerous short blunt or subacute spines producing a 

 somewhat botryoidal appearance ; the intermediate curved shaft 

 free from spines. 



Found growing side by side with the preceding. 



* A Mouograpli of the Spongillida), Proc. Zool. Soc, 1863. 



