Catalogue of Noii-Calcarcoiis Sponges. 33 



pale spongiu, cored by fairly abundant smooth styli and sparsely 

 echinated by spined styli. The spicules occur irregularly in the 

 fibres, not forming a compact axial core. Few spicules are 

 scattered between the fibres. The dermal skeleton is composed 

 of very loose radiating whisps of long slender styli. 



Megascleres, (a) smooth, straight styli, in the filjres of the 

 main skeleton, gradually sharp-pointed ; size variable, say about 

 0'18 by 0-0042 mm. ; (d) long, straight, slender styli or sub- 

 tylostyli of the dermal tufts, say about 0-25 l)y 0-0035 mm. ; 

 (c) echinating styli ; short, straight, gradually sharp-pointed, 

 feebly spined ; about 0-058 by 0-004 mm. 



Microscleres., (a) extremely minute isocheke, very slender and 

 hardly 0-006 mm. long; (i)) rather short, stout toxa, very 

 strongly angulate* in the middle, sometimes forming almost a 

 right angle with nearly straight limbs ; smooth and sharp- 

 pointed ; size variable, up to about 0-07 nnu. from point to point 

 in a straight line, by 0-004 mm. in diameter. I have also 

 observed a few hair-like rhaphides, possibly young forms of 

 megascleres, and one stoutish contort sigma. 



J^.JV. 1160 (x). 



ClatJiria aitstrah'ensis, Carter, s]). 



WilsoncUa aiistfaiiensis, Carter, A.M.N.H., November, 1885, 

 p. 366. 



This appears to be simply a Ciathria with a large amount of 

 foreign matter (sand and broken spicules) in and between the 

 fibres and on the surface. The sand is especially abundant in 

 the primary fibres. A considerable amount of spongin is also 

 present. In the three specimens which I now i-efer to the 

 species I find a few slender toxa, which are not mentioned in the 

 original description. 



R.N. 748 (s. 1 ; "cherry red ") ; 969 (s. 5) ; 1002 (s. 1). 



B.M. sp. 76 {Wilsonella australiensis, C. type," Reg. 86-12- 

 15-43) ; d. 13 (wrongly lal)elled " Spongelia," Reg. 86-12-15-288). 



Ciathria echinonematissima, Carter, sp. 

 Wilsoiiella echinonematissima, Carter, A.M.N.H., March, 1887, 

 p. 210. 



* Whence the specific name. 



