﻿SPONGIIDA, 
  427 
  

  

  acerate. 
  Judging 
  by 
  the 
  present 
  specimens, 
  A. 
  fihulata 
  wants 
  also 
  

   the 
  purple 
  colour 
  of 
  FJiorbas, 
  on 
  which 
  Mr. 
  Carter 
  lays 
  so 
  much 
  

   weight 
  ; 
  so 
  that 
  I 
  see 
  nothing 
  but 
  the 
  general 
  external 
  form 
  by 
  

   which 
  to 
  connect 
  this 
  species 
  with 
  Phorbas, 
  and 
  this 
  cannot 
  suiBce 
  

   for 
  a 
  point 
  of 
  affinity 
  in 
  the 
  Spongiida, 
  

  

  62. 
  GeUiodes 
  fihulata. 
  

   (Plate 
  XXXIX. 
  fig. 
  I 
  ; 
  Plate 
  XLI. 
  figs, 
  bb-bb".) 
  

  

  ? 
  Spongia 
  rubispina, 
  Lamarck, 
  Ann. 
  Mus. 
  Hist. 
  Nat. 
  xx. 
  p. 
  450. 
  

   ? 
  Axos 
  fibulata, 
  Carter, 
  Ann. 
  ^ 
  Mag. 
  N. 
  H. 
  1881, 
  vii. 
  p. 
  383, 
  pi. 
  xviii. 
  

   fig. 
  4. 
  

  

  Long 
  cylindrical 
  stems, 
  given 
  off 
  from 
  a 
  common 
  base, 
  but 
  not 
  

   in 
  a 
  plane, 
  irregularly 
  curved, 
  anastomosing 
  at 
  points 
  of 
  contact, 
  

   aculeated 
  at 
  intervals 
  of 
  about 
  2 
  to 
  5 
  millim. 
  by 
  strong 
  but 
  slender 
  

   sharp 
  spines 
  2 
  to 
  3 
  millim. 
  long 
  ; 
  intermediate 
  surface 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  

   cavernous, 
  the 
  spaces 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  tympanized 
  by 
  membrane 
  which 
  

   is 
  semitrausparent 
  in 
  spirit, 
  transparent 
  in 
  the 
  dried 
  state. 
  Skeleton- 
  

   fibre 
  very 
  compact, 
  but 
  exhibiting 
  no 
  horny 
  material 
  ; 
  main 
  fibres 
  

   going 
  direct 
  to 
  surface, 
  "18 
  to 
  -28 
  millim. 
  thick; 
  secondaries 
  given 
  

   off" 
  at 
  various 
  angles 
  from 
  primaries 
  and 
  at 
  intervals 
  of 
  '43 
  millim. 
  

   and 
  upwards, 
  "088 
  to 
  "18 
  millim. 
  thick. 
  Sarcode 
  transparent, 
  with 
  

   only 
  the 
  faintest 
  tint 
  of 
  yellow. 
  Spicules 
  : 
  — 
  (1) 
  Acerate, 
  smooth, 
  

   tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  points 
  from 
  near 
  middle, 
  slightly 
  and 
  

   gradually 
  curved 
  ; 
  size 
  -25 
  by 
  •00G3 
  millim. 
  ; 
  forming 
  the 
  fibres. 
  

   (2) 
  Bihamate, 
  smooth, 
  slender, 
  with 
  fine 
  points, 
  well 
  curved 
  ; 
  size 
  

   •016 
  by 
  '001 
  millim. 
  Texture 
  of 
  sponge 
  in 
  dry 
  state 
  firm, 
  very 
  

   harsh 
  to 
  touch, 
  slightly 
  flexible 
  : 
  colour 
  pale 
  or 
  darkish 
  brown. 
  

  

  Hab. 
  Prince 
  of 
  Wales 
  Channel 
  and 
  Thursday 
  Island, 
  Torres 
  

   Straits, 
  3-10 
  fms. 
  Abundant. 
  

  

  Distribution. 
  Bass's 
  Straits 
  {Carter)! 
  

  

  Single 
  branches 
  attain 
  a 
  length 
  of 
  about 
  100 
  millim. 
  (4 
  inches), 
  

   and 
  the 
  largest 
  colony 
  is 
  IGO 
  millim. 
  (6|^ 
  inches) 
  high. 
  The 
  species 
  

   difi'ers 
  from 
  Lamarck's 
  description 
  of 
  S. 
  rubispina 
  in 
  wanting 
  the 
  

   white 
  incrustation, 
  and 
  in 
  not 
  being 
  branched 
  in 
  a 
  fan-like 
  manner; 
  

   it 
  is 
  doubtful 
  what 
  he 
  means 
  by 
  an 
  " 
  encroutement 
  coriace." 
  A 
  

   specimen 
  in 
  the 
  Lamarckian 
  collection 
  named 
  Spongia 
  licheniformis 
  

   having 
  apparently 
  formed 
  part 
  of 
  a 
  turbinate 
  or 
  flattened 
  mass, 
  

   even 
  on 
  one 
  side 
  and 
  beset 
  with 
  low 
  but 
  sharp 
  distant 
  monticular 
  

   eminences 
  on 
  the 
  other, 
  has 
  an 
  almost 
  identical 
  spiculation, 
  but 
  the 
  

   fibres 
  are 
  less 
  stout 
  and 
  are 
  decidedly 
  loose 
  in 
  their 
  structure. 
  It 
  

   seems 
  to 
  me 
  that 
  we 
  have 
  here 
  a 
  small 
  natural 
  assemblage 
  of 
  forms 
  

   representing 
  a 
  more 
  primitive 
  type 
  of 
  Desmacidinidae 
  than 
  the 
  forms 
  

   with 
  anchorate 
  spicules. 
  

  

  AMPHILECTUS. 
  

  

  Vosmaer, 
  Family 
  Desmacidi7ii(l(P 
  , 
  Notes 
  Roy. 
  Mus. 
  Netherl. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  109. 
  

  

  Although 
  this 
  genus 
  as 
  defined 
  by 
  Vosmaer 
  appears 
  to 
  have 
  

  

  