^^ RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Echinonema anchoratum, Carter, var. lamellosa, Lendenfeld, (No. 

 317). 



The type is flabellate, and measures 175 mm. in height, 165 

 mm. in breadth, and varies from 3 to 5 mm. in thickness. There 

 is a"short, broad peduncle, and six or seven small lamellae at right 

 angles to the main frond ; the distal margin of the latter is even 

 and slightly rounded. The surface is longitudinally ridged through- 

 out ; the ridges are about 1 mm. apart, nearly straight, but very 

 uneven, the surfaces being studded with minute conulse. The 

 depressions between the ridges exhibit numerous round pores, 

 about 0*4 mm. in diameter. Texture hard, close, and tough. 

 Colour dark stone. The specimen is slightly beach-worn, and 

 without dermal incrustation. 



The fibres of the skeleton form a close and somewhat fasciculate 

 reticulation ; the primaries rarely exceed 0"05 mm. in diameter, 

 and the secondaries are usually about 0'02 mm. Both kinds are 

 moderately echinated by spined styli. 



Megascleres — (a) Spined echinating styli, with a slightly en- 

 larged base, and the shaft studded with numerous minute spines. 

 Size— 0-8 by 0'006 mm (b) Smooth stout styli, tending to become 

 tylostyli, often with a well defined constriction above the base. 

 Size — 0-28 by 0-0095. (c) Slender smooth styli or tylostyli. Size — 

 016 by 0-0035. 



Microscleres — (a) Small isochelte 0'00r2 in length. (6) A few 

 slender hair-like spicules. 



With regard to the above three varieties, it seems very doubtful 

 if they have any relationship with Clathria typica, Carter, more 

 especially if the difference in habit, texture, and spicular characters 

 are duly considered. I feel assured that the specimens examined 

 are the genuine types, as the manuscript names, specimen numbers, 

 and list numbers are all in accord ; but it is very singular that 

 the spicules occurring in the fibres and ground substance should 

 in each case be described as oxea, when they possess styli only. 



Clathria tenuifibra, sp. 7iov. 



(Plate xi., fig. 10). 



Sponge clathrate, flabellate, consisting of very numerous com- 

 pressed main branches, each of which gives off many short branch- 

 lets; the latter are subtriangular and frequently anastomose. The 

 spaces between the branches and branchlets are very irregular in 

 shape and somewhat dentate, owing to the numerous short in- 

 cipient branchlets. As growth proceeds, many of the short 

 branchlets meet and coalesce, forming connecting bars, and in the 

 lower parts of the sponge the spaces become filled in. Spaces 

 that have thus almost closed usually exhibit a central vent-like 

 opening, surrounded by five or more radiating grooves. The 

 oscula are scattered over the whole surface, including the margins; 



