﻿SPONGIIBA. 
  413 
  

  

  by 
  a 
  short 
  narrow 
  pedicle, 
  which 
  rises 
  broadening 
  and 
  flattening, 
  

   and 
  producing 
  two 
  broad 
  expansions, 
  about 
  25 
  millim. 
  long, 
  which 
  

   bend 
  to 
  one 
  side, 
  where 
  they 
  meet 
  and 
  unite 
  by 
  their 
  apices. 
  

   The 
  fragment 
  consists 
  of 
  a 
  similar 
  wing-like 
  expansion 
  ; 
  so 
  that 
  

   this 
  character 
  is 
  j)robably 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  constant 
  in 
  the 
  species. 
  

   The 
  large 
  size 
  of 
  the 
  spicules 
  and 
  the 
  coarse, 
  though 
  vague, 
  dermal 
  

   skeleton 
  seem 
  to 
  justify 
  the 
  generic 
  position 
  I 
  have 
  assigned 
  to 
  the 
  

   sponge. 
  Pellina 
  bibula, 
  Schmidt 
  (Baltic), 
  resembles 
  it 
  in 
  form, 
  but 
  

   has 
  no 
  apparent 
  vents, 
  and 
  the 
  spicules 
  measure 
  only 
  'IS 
  to 
  '24 
  millim. 
  

   in 
  length. 
  

  

  47. 
  Pellina, 
  sp. 
  

  

  Tubular. 
  Part 
  of 
  a 
  specimen, 
  consisting 
  of 
  a 
  detached 
  subcylin- 
  

   drical 
  tube, 
  30 
  millim. 
  long, 
  10 
  millim. 
  in 
  extreme 
  diameter, 
  wall 
  

   2*5 
  millim. 
  in 
  greatest 
  thickness; 
  tube 
  contracted 
  towards 
  mouth, 
  

   which 
  is 
  4 
  mOlim. 
  across 
  and 
  has 
  a 
  thin 
  margin. 
  Consistence 
  firm, 
  

   brittle 
  ; 
  colour 
  dull 
  brown. 
  Skeleton 
  irregular 
  ; 
  tracts 
  loose. 
  Spi- 
  

   cules 
  smooth 
  acerate, 
  slightly 
  curved, 
  tapering 
  very 
  gradually 
  to 
  

   sharp 
  points 
  ; 
  size 
  "6 
  by 
  '02 
  millim. 
  

  

  The 
  spicules 
  are 
  larger 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  European 
  species 
  of 
  the 
  genus 
  ; 
  

   but 
  I 
  do 
  not 
  assign 
  a 
  specific 
  name, 
  as 
  the 
  specimen 
  is 
  imperfect. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Port 
  Curtis, 
  Queensland, 
  11 
  fms. 
  

  

  Some 
  very 
  small, 
  massive, 
  rounded 
  specimens 
  from 
  Port 
  Darwin, 
  

   between 
  tide-marks, 
  with 
  spicules 
  measuring 
  -8 
  by 
  -02 
  miUim., 
  are 
  

   perhaps 
  young 
  forms 
  of 
  a 
  variety 
  of 
  this 
  species. 
  

  

  48. 
  Pellina, 
  sp. 
  

  

  Massive. 
  Nearly 
  allied 
  to 
  " 
  Beniem, 
  yellow" 
  of 
  Carter 
  (Ann. 
  & 
  

   Mag. 
  N. 
  H. 
  (5) 
  vi. 
  p. 
  48), 
  from 
  the 
  Gulf 
  of 
  Manaar, 
  and 
  possibly 
  iden- 
  

   tical 
  with 
  it, 
  although 
  that 
  form 
  seems 
  to 
  be 
  paler 
  in 
  colour, 
  and 
  its 
  

   spicule 
  as 
  described 
  would 
  be 
  about 
  -24 
  by 
  •02 
  millim. 
  in 
  size. 
  It 
  seems 
  

   to 
  consist 
  normally 
  of 
  a 
  massive 
  base, 
  which 
  sends 
  up 
  digitate 
  pro- 
  

   cesses, 
  suboval 
  in 
  transverse 
  section 
  and 
  about 
  15 
  millim. 
  in 
  greatest 
  

   basal 
  and 
  5 
  millim. 
  in 
  greatest 
  apical 
  diameter 
  respectively. 
  Con- 
  

   sistence 
  in 
  spirit 
  firm, 
  brittle 
  ; 
  colour 
  dull 
  brown. 
  Surface 
  even, 
  

   covered 
  by 
  thin 
  glabrous 
  dermal 
  membrane. 
  Vents 
  few, 
  scattered 
  

   usually 
  on 
  the 
  narrow 
  margin 
  of 
  the 
  sponge, 
  receiving 
  the 
  larger 
  

   excretory 
  canals 
  at 
  a 
  slight 
  distance 
  below 
  surface, 
  oblong, 
  maximum 
  

   greater 
  and 
  less 
  diameters 
  usually 
  3 
  and 
  1-5 
  to 
  2 
  millim. 
  respec- 
  

   tively. 
  Main 
  skeleton 
  composed 
  of 
  loose 
  spiculo-fibro 
  1 
  to 
  2 
  spicules 
  

   broad 
  ; 
  the 
  primaries 
  only 
  approximately 
  vertical 
  to 
  surface 
  ; 
  the 
  

   secondaries 
  irregular 
  in 
  direction. 
  Dermal 
  skeleton 
  reticulate 
  ; 
  

   fibre 
  usually 
  2-3-serial, 
  very 
  loose. 
  Sarcode 
  reddish 
  brown, 
  some- 
  

   what 
  granular. 
  Spicules 
  smooth 
  acerate, 
  tapering 
  to 
  sharp 
  points 
  

   from 
  about 
  four 
  diameters 
  from 
  ends; 
  size 
  '38 
  by 
  "0127 
  millim. 
  

   Specimens 
  fragmentary. 
  

  

  Another 
  compressed 
  specimen, 
  terminating 
  in 
  an 
  angle 
  above, 
  and 
  

   with 
  a 
  single 
  orbicular 
  vent 
  about 
  3 
  millim. 
  wide, 
  leading 
  deeply 
  

  

  