SYMPAGELLA ANOMAL A. 101 



the piuular rays can be discerned under the hand-lc-ns as minute 

 white spots. The meshes measure mostly 100-135 /-« in lengtli 

 of sides. The hypodermal latticework presents meshes of trian- 

 gular, trapezoidal, rectangular or irregular shape, with sides of 

 400-700/^- length. At places, especially in the lower part of the 

 body, the thin liypodermal beams are more or less augmented in 

 strength so as to appear like sinuous and intersecting fibrous 

 bundles which are in no wav disting-uishable from those in the 

 choanosoma. Through the dermal layer are visible the entrances 

 into incurrents canals measuring 2 mm. and under in diameter. 



The gastral surface (see fig. 3) is not covered over by a 

 continuous gastral layer, but leaves open all the apertures of 

 excurrent canals. These apertures are round and ])it-like ; they 

 may measure 2 mm. across, but there exist all sizes down to those 

 that can be called minute pores. Any two of the larger apertures 

 may be separated from each other by a space up to 5 mm. in 

 width which in turn is occupied by much smaller apertures down 

 to the smallest. Altogether the appearance of the gastral surface 

 closely resembles that in Hyalonenia affine. 



The stalk is firm. Unless denuded and the deeper fibrous 

 texture exposed, it is densely covered with dermalia forming a 

 pure-white powdery crust, which can be easily ruljbed off. In- 

 ternally it is almost solid, being at most traversed by a system of 

 insignificant excurrent canals. 



The color of the sponge in the fresh state is, according to 

 the statements of Kuma the collector, light pinkish on the stalk, 

 fading above into colorlessness on the body. The small specimens 

 shown in fig. 1 retained that coloration for some time even after 

 thev were brought to me in the desiccated state. 



As to the histology, no point of particular interest has 



