SPONGES FROM COASTAL BEACHES OF N. S. "WALES — "WHITELEGGE 7 I 



example would furnish branches which, if taken singly and com- 

 pared with the descriptions and figures, might pass as distinct 

 species or varieties. This species presents a regular series of 

 variable forms, similar to Chalina polychotoma, Carter. The 

 oscula vary from 1 to 5 mm. in diameter ; in P. communis they 

 are slightly prominent, and have thin elevated margins; the aper- 

 ture displays features similar to P. punctata, as figured by Ridley 

 and Dendy." In the rest of the forms, the surface is marked by 

 angular projections and generally more or less elongated ridges ; 

 the latter are acute and bear numerous small oscula along the 

 ridge, and often a large one at its termination. In some cases P. 

 elegans exhibits, at the margins of the compressed branches, long 

 rounded ridges, which finally terminate in short incipient branches 

 with a large osculum at the summit of each branch ; the smaller 

 oscula are rare or absent. The oxeote spicules are variable in 

 size, ranging from OSo to 0'8 mm. in length, and 0*00.3 to 0006 

 mm. in diameter. 



Six specimens from Tuggerah Beach. 



/ Chalina, Grant. 



Chalina globosa, Lendenfeld, sp. 



(Plate X., fig. 4). 



Cacochalina globosa, Lendenfeld, Zool. Jahrb., ii., 1887, p. 762, 

 pi. xviii., fig. 1. 



The sponge usually occurs in circular cake-shaped masses, about 

 150 or more mm. in diameter, and from 70 to 100 mm. in height. 

 The upper surface is pretty even, but fibrous ; the under-surface 

 invariably exhibits deep depressions, indicating attachment to 

 some angular projecting rock. The circular oscula are fairly 

 numerous, and scattered irregularly over the upper surface ; they 

 vary from about 1'5 to 4 mm. in diameter. The texture in good 

 examples, in the dried state, is tough, hard, and scarcely com- 

 pressible ; beach-worn specimens are frequently soft and easily 

 broken. 



Colour when fresh, light sandy yellow; after prolonged exposure 

 they become dark rusty brown, and very similar in appearance to 

 some species of Thorecta. 



The skeleton consists of a rather open irregular reticulation, 

 with stoutish main fibres, which traverse the sponge from the 

 base to the apex, with numerous slender more or less transverse 

 connecting fibres. The fibres contain rather dense masses of 

 oxeote spicules, cemented by little obvious spongin. The oxea 

 are straight or slightly curved, gradually tapering to within three 



14 Eidley and Dendy— Chall. Kep., Zool., xx., 1887, pi. vi., fig. 26. 

 B 



