﻿SPONGIIDA. 
  467 
  

  

  cymose 
  manner 
  into 
  branches. 
  Branches 
  in 
  part 
  subcylindrical, 
  in 
  

   part 
  compressed 
  like 
  the 
  stems, 
  of 
  same 
  diameters 
  as 
  stems 
  ; 
  they 
  

   divide 
  and 
  subdivide 
  and 
  anastomose 
  irregularly, 
  and 
  frequently 
  

   terminate 
  in 
  short 
  vermiform 
  tips 
  about 
  10 
  millim. 
  long 
  by 
  2 
  millim. 
  

   thick. 
  Surface 
  of 
  sponge 
  even, 
  smooth. 
  Texture 
  in 
  spirit 
  rather 
  

   tough, 
  but 
  dough-like, 
  somewhat 
  elastic. 
  Internal 
  structure 
  sub- 
  

   compact, 
  excretory 
  canals 
  small. 
  Vents 
  small, 
  few, 
  oval, 
  1 
  millim. 
  

   in 
  greatest 
  diameter, 
  with 
  thin 
  collapsing 
  margins 
  ; 
  near 
  ends 
  of 
  

   branches. 
  Colour 
  in 
  spirit 
  pale 
  greenish 
  white. 
  

  

  Main 
  skeleton 
  consisting, 
  beneath 
  surface, 
  of 
  very 
  loose 
  spicular 
  

   tracts 
  confusedly 
  arranged 
  ; 
  at 
  the 
  surface 
  they 
  are 
  set 
  regularly 
  at 
  

   right 
  angles 
  to 
  it, 
  and 
  are 
  about 
  8 
  to 
  10 
  spicules 
  broad, 
  with 
  in- 
  

   tervals 
  of 
  "07 
  to 
  '14 
  millim. 
  between 
  the 
  tracts. 
  Dermal 
  skeleton 
  

   formed 
  by 
  the 
  points 
  of 
  the 
  vertical 
  tracts 
  just 
  mentioned, 
  which 
  do 
  

   not 
  project 
  from 
  the 
  surface, 
  and 
  by 
  a 
  single 
  thin 
  layer 
  of 
  spicules 
  

   scattered 
  horizontally 
  on 
  the 
  surface. 
  Surcode 
  very 
  pale, 
  transpareni'. 
  

   Spicules 
  smooth, 
  subspinulate, 
  straight 
  or 
  slightly 
  curved 
  ; 
  head 
  

   merely 
  a 
  slight 
  enlargement 
  of 
  shaft, 
  only 
  slightly 
  larger 
  than 
  

   adjacent 
  part 
  ; 
  shaft 
  tapering 
  to 
  sharp 
  point 
  from 
  near 
  base 
  ; 
  size 
  

   ■2S 
  by 
  -0063 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hub. 
  Port 
  Jackson, 
  0-5 
  fms. 
  

  

  A 
  single 
  spirit-specimen, 
  90 
  millim. 
  (Sg 
  inches) 
  high, 
  55 
  millim. 
  

   (2| 
  inches) 
  in 
  diameter. 
  This 
  species 
  recalls 
  in 
  colour 
  and 
  consist- 
  

   ency 
  Suherites 
  carnosus, 
  which, 
  however, 
  differs 
  in 
  its 
  compact 
  form 
  

   and 
  in 
  the 
  basal 
  protuberance 
  on 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  its 
  spicule. 
  The 
  

   habit 
  of 
  growth 
  is 
  more 
  that 
  of 
  Suherites 
  antarcticus, 
  C:;.rter 
  

   (Ann. 
  & 
  Mag. 
  N. 
  H. 
  1882, 
  ix. 
  p. 
  350) 
  ; 
  but 
  in 
  that 
  species 
  the 
  

   colour 
  is 
  dark 
  brown, 
  and 
  the 
  spicule 
  much 
  larger 
  and 
  provided 
  

   with 
  a 
  large 
  spherical 
  head. 
  It 
  is 
  near 
  B. 
  cartmcuJa, 
  only 
  the 
  spi- 
  

   cules 
  are 
  of 
  a 
  rather 
  smaller 
  average 
  size, 
  and 
  the 
  head 
  is 
  sKghtly 
  

   more 
  pronounced 
  ; 
  but 
  the 
  chief 
  differences 
  are 
  the 
  erect 
  branched 
  

   growth 
  as 
  opposed 
  to 
  the 
  horizontal, 
  merely 
  mammillated 
  habit 
  of 
  

   H. 
  caruncula, 
  and 
  the 
  pale 
  whitish, 
  not 
  brown 
  or 
  yellow, 
  colour. 
  

  

  97. 
  Hymeniacidon, 
  ep. 
  

  

  A 
  small 
  incrusting 
  specimen 
  of 
  a 
  dull 
  dark 
  crimson 
  colour, 
  in 
  

   spirit; 
  the 
  margins 
  glabrous, 
  the 
  centre 
  of 
  the 
  surface 
  roughened 
  

   by 
  small 
  conuli 
  about 
  -5 
  millim. 
  high 
  and 
  '5 
  to 
  1 
  millim. 
  apart. 
  

   Primary 
  skeleton-lines 
  compact, 
  about 
  10 
  spicules 
  broad. 
  Spicules 
  

   smooth 
  acuate, 
  tapering 
  gradually 
  to 
  fine 
  points 
  ; 
  size 
  '16 
  to 
  '22 
  by 
  

   •0042 
  millim. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  West 
  Island, 
  Torres 
  Straits, 
  7 
  fms. 
  

  

  SPIRASTRELLA, 
  Schmidt. 
  

  

  In 
  accordance 
  with 
  the 
  rules 
  of 
  zoological 
  nomenclature, 
  the 
  

   generic 
  designation 
  Suherites 
  (Nardo) 
  should 
  be 
  retained 
  for 
  those 
  

   species 
  only 
  which 
  are 
  generically 
  identical 
  with 
  the 
  type 
  of 
  Nardo'g 
  

  

  2u 
  2 
  

  

  