﻿404 
  COLLECIIOMS 
  FROM 
  MELANESIA, 
  

  

  The 
  maximum 
  lateral 
  extent 
  of 
  the 
  largest 
  of 
  the 
  specimens 
  

   appears 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  about 
  270 
  millim. 
  (10| 
  inches), 
  another 
  

   measures 
  250 
  millira. 
  (10 
  inches) 
  across 
  the 
  branches, 
  while 
  indi- 
  

   vidual 
  branches 
  may 
  attain 
  a 
  length 
  of 
  90 
  millim. 
  (3| 
  inches). 
  In 
  

   habitus 
  the 
  species 
  differs 
  from 
  T. 
  folioides 
  mainly 
  in 
  having 
  the 
  

   general 
  surface 
  approximately 
  even, 
  and 
  not 
  asperated 
  by 
  projecting 
  

   points 
  ; 
  in 
  the 
  structure 
  of 
  the 
  fibre, 
  the 
  horny 
  element 
  shows 
  a 
  far 
  

   greater 
  development, 
  and 
  the 
  tricurvate 
  is 
  much 
  stouter 
  than 
  in 
  that 
  

   species. 
  

  

  34. 
  Toxochalina 
  murata*. 
  

  

  Low, 
  broad, 
  wall-like 
  masses, 
  enclosing 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  vertical 
  tubes, 
  

   5 
  to 
  8 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  which 
  rise 
  straight 
  from 
  near 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  

   the 
  mass, 
  and 
  are 
  separated 
  by 
  8 
  to 
  10 
  millim. 
  of 
  sponge-substance 
  ; 
  

   the 
  mouths 
  of 
  the 
  tubes 
  may 
  project 
  slightly, 
  but 
  are 
  rather 
  con- 
  

   tracted. 
  General 
  surface 
  of 
  sponge 
  asperated 
  with 
  low, 
  sharp, 
  

   monticular 
  elevations 
  3 
  to 
  7 
  millim. 
  apart, 
  1 
  to 
  2 
  millim. 
  high, 
  often 
  

   connected 
  by 
  low 
  ridges 
  ; 
  surface 
  between 
  ridges 
  and 
  elevations 
  

   smooth 
  in 
  dry 
  state. 
  Texture 
  in 
  dry 
  state 
  elastic 
  but 
  firm 
  ; 
  colour 
  

   pale 
  yellowish 
  brown. 
  Pibre 
  very 
  tough. 
  

  

  Main 
  skeleton 
  — 
  meshes 
  chiefly 
  very 
  wide, 
  rectangular, 
  formed 
  by 
  

   primary 
  and 
  secondary 
  fibres 
  of 
  approximately 
  equal 
  diameter 
  ; 
  at 
  

   intervals 
  a 
  less 
  regular 
  network 
  of 
  smaller 
  secondary 
  fibres 
  combined 
  

   with 
  the 
  straight 
  primaries 
  ; 
  larger 
  fibres 
  '022 
  millim. 
  broad, 
  smaller 
  

   •0095 
  to 
  -016 
  millim. 
  ; 
  primaries 
  cored 
  by 
  1 
  to 
  4 
  series 
  of 
  axially 
  

   placed 
  acerate 
  spicules, 
  sometimes 
  wanting 
  ; 
  secondaries 
  by 
  1 
  to 
  2 
  

   series, 
  often 
  wanting 
  altogotlier. 
  Colour 
  of 
  fibre 
  pale 
  yellow-brown. 
  

  

  Spicules 
  — 
  (1) 
  skeleton 
  acerate, 
  straight, 
  smooth, 
  tapering 
  to 
  very 
  

   sharp 
  points 
  from 
  about 
  two 
  diameters 
  from 
  ends, 
  size 
  •! 
  by 
  "005 
  

   millim. 
  ; 
  (2) 
  tricurvate 
  acerate 
  of 
  sarcode, 
  smooth, 
  curves 
  gentle, 
  

   tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  fine 
  points, 
  size 
  -063 
  by 
  -0016 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hab. 
  Port 
  MoUe, 
  Queensland, 
  12-20 
  fms. 
  

  

  The 
  average 
  greatest 
  height 
  of 
  the 
  single 
  (dry) 
  specimen 
  is 
  30 
  millim. 
  

   (1| 
  inch), 
  the 
  total 
  length 
  (from 
  side 
  to 
  side) 
  140 
  millim. 
  (5| 
  inches). 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  has 
  very 
  much 
  the 
  external 
  habit 
  of 
  T. 
  folioides, 
  var. 
  

   vallata, 
  but 
  the 
  points 
  on 
  the 
  surface 
  are 
  less 
  prominent 
  than 
  in 
  

   that 
  species 
  ; 
  the 
  very 
  strongly 
  horny 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  fibre 
  sepa- 
  

   rates 
  it 
  more 
  decidedly, 
  so 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  imjjossible 
  to 
  confound 
  the 
  two 
  

   species 
  under 
  the 
  microscope. 
  In 
  the 
  case 
  of 
  T. 
  robusta, 
  mihi, 
  the 
  

   repent 
  habit, 
  the 
  solid 
  and 
  smooth 
  branches, 
  and 
  the 
  slighter 
  and 
  more 
  

   strongly 
  spiculate 
  fibre 
  constitute 
  ample 
  means 
  of 
  difi'erentiation. 
  

  

  35. 
  Pachyclialina 
  lobata, 
  var. 
  

  

  ? 
  Spongia 
  lobata, 
  Espcr, 
  Pflanzenth. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  273, 
  pi. 
  xlvi. 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  thought 
  it 
  best 
  to 
  assign, 
  with 
  doubt, 
  to 
  the 
  above 
  species 
  

   (as 
  a 
  variety) 
  a 
  form 
  with 
  strong, 
  rudely 
  cylindrical 
  main 
  axis 
  and 
  

   branches, 
  which 
  was 
  ajiparently 
  semideciimbent 
  in 
  life, 
  and 
  which 
  

  

  * 
  From 
  Lat. 
  muratus, 
  wallod. 
  

  

  