108 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Gends HYALOSTELIA, Hinde. 



7. — IIyalostelia Metissica. Dawson. 



(Fi,<,r. 17. PI. III., Fig. 10.) 



Fig. Yl.—Hyalostelia Metissica. Spicules x 5. 



General form broud. with a large osculum and a number of stout 

 anchoring-rods. Body-wall formed of single long slender rods, woven into 

 a very loose mesh and supporting cruciform and other sj^icules of varied 

 form, attached only by the soft membranes, so that they are almost always 

 found loose and disarranged. Up to 1889 I had seen the species only in 

 this condition ; but was so fortunate in 1895 as to find a small specimen 

 retaining its form, which I have figured in Plate III., Fig. 10. The spiral 

 anchoring-rods figured with this species in 1889 really belong to Palœo- 

 saceus, which at one time I was disposed to connect with Hyalostelia, but 

 am now convinced that they are altogether distinct, though Hyalostelia 

 may form a connecting link between the Protospongidœ and the Dictyo- 

 spongidîB, its body-wall being formed not of cruciform spicules, but of 

 long slender and single rods woven together into squai'e or rhombic 

 meshes. 



As to the use of the generic name Hyalostelia for this species, I am, 

 by no means certain, since the sponges included previously in that genus 

 are very imperfectly known to me. 



