Neiv Species of Excavating Sponge, &c. By H. J. Carter, 495 



especially the largest, which will be described presently, Fig. 1, cc. 

 Pore - areae represented by the cribriform, and vents by the 

 conical papillae respectively. Spicules of four forms, viz, 1, the 

 largest or skeleton-spicule, acerate, abruptly curved or rather bent 

 in the middle, covered with tubercles arranged linearly and longi- 

 tudinally in twelve rows ; tubercle simply conical, or divided into 

 two or more portions at the extremity, arranged alternately in 

 adjoining rows extending over the ends of the shaft, so as to render 

 the latter obtuse and irregular ; medullary canal angular in the 

 centre and more or less undulating throughout; skeleton-spicule 

 about J^ by ^^^^ inch in its greatest dimensions (Fig. 3) ; 2, sub- 

 skeleton-spicule, acerate, also abruptly curved or bent in the centre, 

 more or less obtusely pointed at the ends, sparsely covered with 

 tubercles irregular in number and situation, sometimes absent 

 altogether, about ^}jjf by :fTj\rTr inc^i in its greatest dimensions, 

 but very variable in all respects (Figs. 4 and 5) ; 3, acerate 

 undulating, almost immeasurably fine, hair-like, wuth an enlarge- 

 ment in the centre barrel-shaped, inflated in the middle and at the 

 ends respectively, about s^^j inch long; 4, flesh-spicule, consist- 

 ing of a straight microspined shaft, interrupted in its course by 

 two circles of tubercles equidistant from the extremities and from 

 each other, about xttVct inch long, but very variable in size, and 

 in number and disposition of the tubercles (Figs, ii and 7 ). Spicules 

 scattered more or less generally throughout the sarcode of the 

 sponge, where they appear to be chiefly congregated, especially the 

 larger ones, in the projecting processes. Size indefinite, extending 

 in this instance throughout the main stem and branches of the 

 specimen of Amphihelia oculata which is about 5^ inches long and 

 2 inches in transverse diameter, the thickest branch being | inch 

 in diameter. 



Hah. Marine, in the coral of Amphihelia oculata, Duncan, 

 Log. North Atlantic Ocean, between N. of Scotland and Faroe 

 Islands ('Porcupine,' 1869, Sta. 54) ; lat. N. 59^ 56' ; long. W. 

 6^ 27'; depth, 863 fathoms; bottom temp. 31° 4'. 



Ohs. Examined in the dried state. This evidently is a 

 variety of, if not the same species as Gummina Wallichii (mendose 

 scrip. " Corticium " /. c.) under a shghtly difierent form of spicula- 

 tion, of which species it is stated * that " further observation " 

 could only determine its real nature, as so little of it had been 

 obtained, that this could not then be even satisfactorily inferred. 

 Curious enough, this had hardly been pubHshed before Dr. J, 

 Millar found the specimen above described in Amjjhihelia oculata, 

 which is so like Gummina Wallichii that no doubt can be enter- 

 tained of the latter belonging to the " excavating sponges," and 

 that, too, to one of the most devastating kinds that I have met 



♦ Page 354 op. et I c. 



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