180 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



nearly related to Carter's L. (Laconoides* with which it 

 ao-recs not only in general form but also in the C/'te-likt' 

 armour of huge spindle-shaped oxea. In L. asconoido^, 

 however, there appear to be none of the smaller oxea which 

 so abundantly echinate the dermal surface of our species, 

 while the large oxea are nearly twice the size of those of 

 L. uteoides. It is a curious fact that in L. asconoides, 

 "more or less of the arms" of the quadriradiates art- 

 " exserted between the long acerates, so as to give this part 

 a minutely hispid appearance. At first sight the lattei" look 

 like raortar-spicules or small acerates, but although they 

 appear to serve the same jjurpose, they are not so, but what 

 I have stated." f In view of this verj- definite statement it 

 appears tolerably certain that L. uteoides is specifically 

 distinct from L. asconoides. 



* Vide, "Monograph of Victorian Sponges," Part I, p. 48. 



t Carter, " Annals and Magazine of Natural History," August 1886, p. 13'>. 



