SPONGES FROM COASTAL BEACHES OF N. 3. WALES — WHITELEGGB. 99 



the villi. Texture in the dried condition firm but not very elastic ; 

 when wet fairly soft and elastic, but easily torn. 



A second example in the Museum collection, from Maroubra 

 Bay, measures 80 mm, in height and 60 mm. in diameter at the 

 middle. There is a small attachment base, and an indistinct 

 peduncle ; the surface exhibits shallow pits and low short ridges, 

 with numerous oscula surrounded by more or less evident grooves. 



EusPONGiA OFFICINALIS, var. DURA, Lendenfeld. 



(Plate xii., fig. 20). 



Euspoiigia officinalis, var. dura, Lendenfeld, Proc. Linn. Soc. 

 N.S.W., x., 1886, pp. 531 and 533; id., Aust. Mus. Cat, xiii., 

 Sponges, 1888, p. 130; id., Mon. Horny Sponges, 1889, p. 

 275, pi. xii., fig. 2, pi. xxii., fig. 7. 



A single massive specimen (No. 58) is present in the Lenden- 

 feldian collection. According to the Register it was purchased 

 from the late J. F. Bailey, of Melbourne, and was obtained in 

 Western Australia. It is very similar to the specimen figured, 

 and is probably half of the original. 



There are three specimens from Lake lUawarra. 



The sponge is incrustating, massive or flabellate, with one or 

 more vertical lamellse attached to the sides of the main frond. 

 The marginal ridges in two examples are somewhat acute, and 

 bear two or more rows of oscula, about 2 mm. in diameter ; at the 

 sides of the margins they are frequently incomplete, the outer 

 wall is wanting, and they appear as grooves from 30 to 40 mm. 

 in length, and 1 to 15 mm. in diameter. In a third specimen the 

 upper margin and side lobes are broad at the apices, and bear 

 several rows of oscula, from 2 to 4 mm. in diameter, there are 

 also a few scattered over the sides of the lamellee. The surface is 

 closely covered with small slender conuli, 2 or 3 mm. high; they 

 are somewhat seriate and disposed longitudinally, with shallow 

 depressions between, in which the inhalent pores occur. The pores 

 are about 1 mm. or less in diameter; transversely they are 1 or 

 2 mm. apart ; longitudinally they are often remote, and separated 

 by spaces of from 3 to 5 mm. Texture when dry, close, hard, and 

 incompressible; when wet, tou:;h, firm, and highly elastic. Colour 

 bright sandy yellow. Height of larger example 120 mm., breadth 

 130 mm., the lesser diameter varying from 15 to 30 mm. 



The skeleton agrees fairly well with the description. In the 

 neighbourhood of the stouter main fibres the arrangement is often 

 trellis-like, the connecting fibres are rather stout and slightly 

 exceed the measurements given in the original diagnosis. 



According to Lendenfeld, this variety is identical with Spongia 

 liqnea, Hyatt, from near Sydney, New South Wales. 



