﻿SPONGIIDA. 
  457 
  

  

  each 
  end 
  ; 
  size 
  -19 
  by 
  -0079 
  to 
  -25 
  by 
  -0095 
  millim. 
  (3) 
  Echinating 
  

   spined 
  cylindrical 
  ; 
  base 
  with 
  slight 
  globular 
  inflation 
  ; 
  tapering 
  

   gradually 
  to 
  blunt 
  distal 
  end 
  ; 
  spines 
  short 
  (the 
  longest 
  about 
  •0016 
  

   millim. 
  long), 
  thorn-like, 
  sharp, 
  shortest 
  at 
  apex, 
  those 
  of 
  distal 
  

   half 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  recurvate 
  towards 
  base, 
  distributed 
  equally 
  over 
  

   whole 
  of 
  spicule; 
  size 
  of 
  spicule 
  '095 
  to 
  '106 
  by 
  '01 
  millim, 
  (apex 
  

   of 
  spicule 
  about 
  '005 
  millim. 
  thick). 
  

  

  Hub. 
  Thursday 
  Island, 
  Torres 
  Straits, 
  4-5 
  fms. 
  ; 
  bottom 
  sand. 
  

  

  A 
  single 
  dry 
  specimen, 
  70 
  millim. 
  (2| 
  inches) 
  high 
  by 
  GO 
  millim. 
  

   (2f 
  inches) 
  in 
  greatest 
  width. 
  The 
  arborescent 
  growth 
  distin- 
  

   guishes 
  it 
  at 
  once 
  from 
  the 
  turbinate 
  E. 
  bilamellatnm, 
  vasiplicatum^ 
  

   and 
  costiferum, 
  and 
  the 
  palmate, 
  branched 
  E. 
  nervosum^ 
  mihi 
  

   (Lamarck), 
  the 
  only 
  species 
  hitherto 
  recognized 
  ; 
  in 
  fibre-structure 
  it 
  

   closely 
  resembles 
  E. 
  hilconellutian, 
  although 
  the 
  spicules 
  are 
  some- 
  

   what 
  smaller. 
  The 
  much 
  smaller 
  smooth 
  acuate 
  and 
  accrate 
  distin- 
  

   guishes 
  it 
  from 
  E. 
  laciniatum 
  and 
  jii/hei. 
  

  

  Echinodictyum 
  glomeratum, 
  var. 
  subglobosum. 
  

  

  Two 
  dry 
  specimens, 
  consisting 
  of 
  an 
  obsolescent 
  stem, 
  rising 
  at 
  

   once 
  into 
  a 
  globular 
  clathrous 
  or 
  honeycombed 
  head, 
  formed 
  by 
  

   rapid 
  branching 
  at 
  subacute 
  angles 
  and 
  free 
  anastomosis 
  ; 
  the 
  

   branches 
  appear 
  to 
  end 
  bluntly 
  on 
  the 
  surface 
  in 
  rough 
  points, 
  at 
  

   about 
  the 
  same 
  level 
  (this, 
  however, 
  is 
  perhaps 
  partly 
  due 
  to 
  abra- 
  

   sion 
  on 
  the 
  shore). 
  Texture 
  rigid, 
  harsh 
  ; 
  colour 
  pale 
  brown 
  in 
  

   macerated, 
  dark 
  purplish 
  in 
  non-macerated 
  specimen. 
  Sjucules 
  : 
  — 
  

   (1) 
  Long 
  setaceous 
  acuate, 
  with 
  well-rounded 
  head, 
  tapering 
  to 
  sharp 
  

   point; 
  size 
  about 
  2-0 
  by 
  -00127 
  millim. 
  : 
  apparently 
  echinating 
  the 
  

   bases 
  of 
  the 
  primary 
  fibres. 
  (2) 
  Smooth 
  acerate 
  of 
  fibre, 
  slightly 
  

   curved, 
  tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  sharp 
  points 
  ; 
  size 
  "25 
  by 
  -0085 
  millim, 
  

   to 
  '33 
  by 
  -0127 
  millim. 
  (3) 
  Spined 
  echinating 
  cylindrical, 
  with 
  

   slightly 
  indicated 
  head 
  and 
  apex 
  almost 
  coming 
  to 
  a 
  point 
  ; 
  spines 
  

   numerous, 
  fine, 
  sharp, 
  straight 
  at 
  middle, 
  recurvate 
  at 
  distal 
  end 
  of 
  

   spicule; 
  size 
  '106 
  to 
  -IG 
  by 
  "OOSS 
  to 
  -0095 
  millim. 
  Skeleton-fibres 
  

   stout, 
  compact, 
  almost 
  straight, 
  sometimes 
  with 
  yellow 
  transparent 
  

   margins 
  ; 
  secondary 
  fibres 
  given 
  off 
  at 
  right, 
  or 
  more 
  usually 
  acute, 
  

   angles 
  from 
  primaries. 
  

  

  Hub. 
  Torres 
  Straits, 
  5-10 
  fms, 
  ; 
  bottom 
  sand 
  and 
  coral. 
  

  

  A 
  well-marked 
  variety. 
  The 
  outward 
  form 
  and 
  the 
  almost 
  pointed 
  

   spined 
  spicule 
  distinguish 
  this 
  froni 
  the 
  typical 
  form. 
  One 
  specimen 
  

   measures 
  40 
  millim., 
  the 
  other 
  75 
  millim. 
  (3 
  inches) 
  in 
  both 
  

   greatest 
  height 
  and 
  diameter. 
  

  

  86. 
  Echinodictyum 
  cancellatum. 
  (Plate 
  XL. 
  fig. 
  D 
  ; 
  

   Plate 
  XLII, 
  fig. 
  q.) 
  

  

  ? 
  Spongia 
  caucellata, 
  Lamarck, 
  Ann. 
  Mas. 
  Mist. 
  Nat. 
  xx. 
  p, 
  456, 
  

  

  The 
  short 
  description 
  of 
  Lamarck 
  agrees 
  so 
  closely, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  it 
  

   goes, 
  with 
  the 
  external 
  character 
  of 
  this 
  sponge, 
  that 
  in 
  default 
  of 
  

   information 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  minute 
  characters 
  of 
  the 
  old 
  species, 
  I 
  assign 
  

  

  