Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges. 235 



three specimens now recorded are lobose and corrugated, and two 

 of them have short stalks. The skeleton is very irregular, sub- 

 reticulate, with a tendency to form slightly plumose fibres, in 

 which the rather large spicules are held together by an abundant 

 coating of pale spongin. Even in the type specimen a few styli 

 occur amongst the oxea. 



P.JV. 337 ("dull grey-buff, with brownish-red on higher parts"); 

 503 (x, 20 f ; "flame scarlet"); 605 (x, 20 f ; "cadmium yellow"). 



P.M. sp. 65 {"Axinella meloniformis, C. Type." Reg. 86-12- 

 15-117). 



Axinella kirkii,* n. sp. 



Massive, sessile, hemispherical ; sides rugose ; upper surface 

 covered with numerous conspicuous, short, slender, conical 

 processes. Vents small, scattered on the upper surface between 

 the conuli. Surface glabrous or sub-glabrous, with beautifully 

 reticulate dermal membrane between the conuli but no dermal 

 skeleton. Texture compact, firm, but compressible and resilient. 

 Colour in spirit yellowish-grey or brown. 



Skeleton very loose and irregular, with very stout, slightly 

 plumose columns of loosely packed spicules ascending and ending 

 in the conuli, which they completely fill and from which some of 

 the spicules project beyond the surface. In the body of the 

 sponge numerous spicules are irregularly scattered between the 

 columns. 



Spicules very variable, rather large but slender, gently curved ; 

 oxeote, stylote or strongylote. Size very variable, up to about 

 1-0 by 0-009 mm. 



R.N. 686 ; 884 (s. 9). 



Genus Phakellia, Bowerbank. 



Sponge more or less flabellate or cup-shaped. Skeleton often 

 more or less reticulate. Megascleres styli and often oxea. Ku 

 microscleres. 



Phakellia flabellata, Carter. 



Phakellia flabellata, Carter, A.M.N.H., November, 1885, p. 

 363. 



* Named after my friend Mr. H. B. Kirk, the New Zealand Spongologist. 



