﻿SPONGIIDA. 
  481 
  

  

  space 
  to 
  its 
  description. 
  The 
  complexity 
  of 
  its 
  spiculation 
  and 
  the 
  

   curious 
  occurrence 
  of 
  the 
  globostellate 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  surface 
  acerate 
  

   all 
  combine 
  to 
  render 
  it 
  reaiarkable. 
  Possibly 
  it 
  may 
  have 
  in 
  the 
  

   future 
  to 
  be 
  separated 
  from 
  Oeodia 
  s. 
  str. 
  It 
  is 
  noteworthy 
  that, 
  

   while 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  specimens 
  (the 
  larger) 
  exhibits 
  nothing 
  like 
  a 
  vent, 
  

   the 
  other 
  has 
  a 
  circular 
  opening 
  leading 
  obliquely 
  and 
  deeply 
  into 
  

   the 
  sponge, 
  lined 
  with 
  a 
  soft 
  wall, 
  and 
  about 
  4 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter 
  ; 
  

   its 
  margin 
  is 
  slightly 
  raised 
  at 
  one 
  point. 
  It 
  is 
  possible 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  

   merely 
  an 
  opening 
  formed 
  by 
  growth 
  over 
  some 
  cylindrical 
  foreign 
  

   body 
  which 
  has 
  since 
  disappeared; 
  if 
  a 
  vent, 
  its 
  absence 
  in 
  the 
  

   other 
  specimen 
  is 
  remarkable. 
  Mr. 
  Carter 
  does 
  not 
  mention 
  any 
  

   vents 
  in 
  his 
  specimens. 
  

  

  107. 
  Placospongia 
  carinata. 
  

  

  Geodia 
  carinata, 
  Botcerbank, 
  P. 
  Z. 
  S. 
  1874, 
  p. 
  298, 
  pi. 
  xlvi. 
  figs. 
  1-5. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  differs 
  from 
  P. 
  melohesiokles, 
  Gray, 
  the 
  typical 
  species 
  

   of 
  the 
  genus, 
  in 
  having 
  a 
  spinispirular 
  and 
  a 
  globostellate 
  flesh- 
  

   spicule, 
  the 
  latter 
  with 
  furcate 
  rays. 
  Taking 
  this 
  difference 
  into 
  

   consideration, 
  it 
  is 
  impossible 
  any 
  longer 
  to 
  regard 
  the 
  two 
  species 
  

   as 
  identical. 
  Some 
  fine 
  specimens 
  were 
  most 
  fortunately 
  obtained 
  

   in 
  spirit. 
  

  

  Ilab. 
  Prince 
  of 
  Wales 
  Channel, 
  Torres 
  Straits, 
  7 
  fms. 
  ; 
  bottom 
  sand. 
  

  

  Distrihufion. 
  Dr. 
  Bowerbank's 
  specimen 
  is 
  said 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  ob- 
  

   tained 
  in 
  the 
  " 
  South 
  Sea." 
  

  

  CALCAREA. 
  

  

  As 
  with 
  the 
  collections 
  made 
  by 
  the 
  'Alert' 
  on 
  the 
  Patagonian 
  

   coasts, 
  so 
  with 
  those 
  from 
  the 
  north 
  and 
  north-east 
  of 
  Australia, 
  a 
  

   very 
  small 
  number 
  of 
  Calcisponges 
  have 
  to 
  be 
  recorded, 
  and 
  no 
  

   species 
  new 
  to 
  science. 
  Perhaps 
  this 
  is 
  in 
  part 
  to 
  be 
  connected 
  with 
  

   the 
  fact 
  that 
  but 
  few 
  Algje 
  (which 
  so 
  commonly 
  afford 
  a 
  resting-place 
  

   to 
  these 
  Sponges) 
  occurred 
  among 
  the 
  collections 
  sent 
  to 
  the 
  British 
  

   Museum. 
  But 
  Hiickel 
  says 
  (' 
  Kalkschwiimme,' 
  i. 
  p. 
  42(3) 
  of 
  Calcarea, 
  

   "Aufsandigem 
  oder 
  schlammigem 
  Grunde 
  wachsen 
  nur 
  sehr 
  weuige 
  

   Arten 
  ; 
  " 
  hence, 
  as 
  the 
  abundant 
  details 
  given 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Coppinger 
  of 
  

   the 
  nature 
  of 
  the 
  bottom 
  on 
  the 
  coasts 
  more 
  particularly 
  investi- 
  

   gated 
  by 
  the 
  ' 
  Alert 
  ' 
  show 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  chiefly 
  composed 
  of 
  sand 
  or 
  

   mud 
  or 
  loose 
  shells, 
  this 
  group 
  of 
  Sponges 
  was 
  likely 
  to 
  be 
  found 
  to 
  

   be 
  but 
  poorly 
  represented 
  on 
  the 
  actual 
  coast-line 
  of 
  this 
  district 
  ; 
  

   the 
  coral-reef 
  might 
  be 
  expected 
  to 
  produce 
  more. 
  

  

  Judging 
  from 
  the 
  collections 
  in 
  the 
  British 
  Museum, 
  from 
  Hiickel's 
  

   Tables 
  of 
  Distribution 
  (cyj. 
  cit. 
  i. 
  pp. 
  430-432), 
  and 
  fromDr. 
  Polejaeff''8 
  

   Keport, 
  the 
  south 
  coast 
  of 
  Australia 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  considerably 
  more 
  

   productive, 
  fifteen 
  or 
  sixteen 
  species 
  being 
  known 
  from 
  this 
  region. 
  

   I 
  know 
  of 
  oidy 
  two 
  species 
  from 
  the 
  western 
  coast 
  of 
  the 
  continent 
  ; 
  

   but 
  that 
  district 
  has 
  been 
  but 
  imperfectly 
  investigated 
  hitherto. 
  

   From 
  the 
  east 
  coast 
  Hiickel 
  records 
  but 
  six 
  species, 
  Polejaeff 
  adds 
  

   eight, 
  and 
  the 
  present 
  collection 
  two. 
  None 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  now 
  to 
  

  

  2i 
  

  

  