﻿446 
  COLLECTIONS 
  FROM 
  MELANESIA. 
  

  

  brandies, 
  and 
  the 
  entire 
  surface 
  of 
  smaller 
  branches 
  uneven 
  and 
  

   covered 
  with 
  small 
  deep 
  vents, 
  about 
  "5 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter 
  and 
  '5 
  to 
  

   1 
  millim. 
  apart. 
  Texture 
  of 
  sponge 
  in 
  dry 
  state 
  and 
  in 
  spirit 
  firm, 
  

   the 
  peripheral 
  portions 
  and 
  the 
  reticulation 
  generally 
  elastic, 
  some- 
  

   what 
  compressible 
  and 
  flexible, 
  like 
  cork 
  ; 
  the 
  main 
  stems 
  in 
  dry 
  

   state 
  hard, 
  woody 
  ; 
  reticulation 
  and 
  lesser 
  brandies 
  rather 
  brittle. 
  

   Surface 
  between 
  pits 
  composed 
  of 
  an 
  incrustation, 
  which 
  is 
  whitish 
  

   when 
  dry, 
  dull 
  umber 
  to 
  pinkish 
  in 
  spirit 
  ; 
  colour 
  of 
  subjacent 
  tissue 
  

   pale 
  brown 
  in 
  dry 
  state, 
  pinkish 
  and 
  subtransparent 
  in 
  spirit. 
  

  

  Main 
  skeleton 
  irregular, 
  consisting 
  of 
  a 
  close 
  reticulation 
  of 
  

   jDrimary 
  and 
  secondary 
  fibres, 
  which 
  are 
  curved, 
  and 
  form 
  rounded 
  

   meshes 
  from 
  -IS 
  to 
  -25 
  millim. 
  wide 
  ; 
  primaries 
  •044 
  to 
  '07 
  millim., 
  

   secondaries 
  about 
  "035 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter. 
  Dermal 
  skeleton 
  

   formed 
  of 
  similar, 
  rather 
  narrower 
  meshes 
  ; 
  fibres 
  '053 
  to 
  '07 
  millim. 
  

   in 
  diameter. 
  

  

  Spicules: 
  — 
  (1) 
  Smooth 
  acuate, 
  tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  points 
  

   and 
  also 
  to 
  base, 
  which 
  is 
  slightly 
  narrower 
  than 
  middle 
  of 
  shaft 
  ; 
  

   size 
  '2 
  by 
  '015 
  millim. 
  : 
  in 
  axis 
  of 
  fibres 
  and 
  projecting 
  from 
  ends 
  of 
  

   primaries. 
  (2) 
  Subspinulate 
  acuate, 
  slightly 
  curved, 
  tapering 
  gra- 
  

   dually 
  to 
  sharp 
  point 
  ; 
  head 
  formed 
  by 
  a 
  slight 
  constriction 
  just 
  above 
  

   base, 
  which 
  is 
  microspined 
  ; 
  size 
  '34 
  by 
  -015 
  millim. 
  : 
  in 
  axis 
  of 
  

   and 
  projecting 
  from 
  ends 
  of 
  primary 
  fibres. 
  (3) 
  Smooth, 
  straight, 
  

   slender 
  spinulate, 
  with 
  oval 
  head 
  slightly 
  stouter 
  than 
  shaft, 
  taper- 
  

   ing 
  gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  point; 
  size 
  -25 
  by 
  "005 
  millim. 
  to 
  -15 
  by 
  

   •0063 
  millim. 
  : 
  in 
  the 
  sarcode, 
  especially 
  at 
  the 
  surface 
  (probably 
  

   young 
  forms 
  of 
  'No. 
  2). 
  (4) 
  Spined 
  acuate, 
  with 
  slight 
  constriction 
  

   just 
  above 
  base, 
  spined 
  all 
  over 
  with 
  small, 
  sharp, 
  straight 
  spines 
  ; 
  

   size 
  •Oil 
  by 
  '0003 
  : 
  scattered, 
  echinating 
  the 
  different 
  fibres 
  at 
  

   right 
  or 
  acute 
  angles. 
  (5) 
  E(]uianchorate, 
  navicular, 
  with 
  slender 
  

   shaft 
  and 
  slightly 
  elongate 
  palms 
  with 
  truncate 
  proximal 
  margins, 
  

   as 
  seen 
  from 
  in 
  front 
  ; 
  -017 
  millim. 
  long 
  : 
  abundant 
  in 
  sarcode. 
  

  

  ffab. 
  Albany 
  Island, 
  north 
  coast 
  of 
  Australia, 
  3 
  to 
  8 
  fms. 
  ; 
  

   bottom 
  sand 
  and 
  mud. 
  

  

  A 
  very 
  fine 
  dry 
  specimen, 
  455 
  millim. 
  (18:j 
  inches) 
  by 
  450 
  

   millim. 
  (18 
  inches) 
  in 
  extreme 
  height 
  and 
  diameter 
  respectively, 
  

   together 
  with 
  a 
  portion 
  in 
  spirit 
  of 
  what 
  must 
  have 
  been 
  also 
  a 
  large 
  

   specimen, 
  represent 
  this 
  species. 
  The 
  rcmai'kable 
  external 
  charac- 
  

   ters 
  are 
  not 
  accompanied 
  by 
  any 
  thing 
  striking 
  in 
  the 
  spiculation 
  ; 
  

   indeed 
  this 
  is 
  remarkable, 
  if 
  for 
  any 
  thing, 
  for 
  its 
  simplicity, 
  the 
  

   equianchorate 
  being 
  the 
  onlj- 
  flesh-spicule 
  present. 
  I 
  have 
  great 
  

   pleasure 
  in 
  associating 
  with 
  what 
  is 
  perhaps 
  the 
  finest 
  new 
  sponge 
  

   of 
  this 
  collection, 
  and 
  the 
  finest 
  known 
  species 
  of 
  its 
  genus, 
  the 
  

   name 
  of 
  the 
  indefatigable 
  and 
  successful 
  collector 
  who 
  obtained 
  it. 
  

  

  77. 
  Clathria 
  reinwardti, 
  var. 
  subcylindrica. 
  

  

  Clathria 
  reinwardti, 
  Vosm., 
  Notes 
  Hoy. 
  Mus. 
  Netherl. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  152. 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  little 
  doubt 
  of 
  the 
  identity 
  with 
  Vosmaer's 
  species 
  of 
  a 
  

   sponge 
  which 
  occurs 
  abundantly 
  in 
  Torres 
  Straits. 
  The 
  general 
  

   external 
  resemblance 
  to 
  Axinella 
  cannabina 
  is 
  very 
  striking 
  and 
  the 
  

  

  