﻿594 
  COLLECTIONS 
  FKOM 
  THE 
  WESTEKN 
  INDTAN 
  OCEAN. 
  

  

  5. 
  Phyllospongia 
  madagascarensis. 
  

  

  Carteriospongia 
  madagascarensis, 
  Hyatt, 
  Mem. 
  Bost. 
  Soc. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  542. 
  

  

  Extremely 
  variable 
  in 
  external 
  form, 
  viz. 
  from 
  single 
  flexible 
  

   cylindrical 
  stems 
  about 
  2 
  millim, 
  in 
  diameter 
  to 
  palmate 
  fronds 
  

   arising 
  from 
  similar 
  stems, 
  forming 
  large 
  compound 
  growths 
  ; 
  the 
  

   cylindrical 
  form 
  also 
  occurs 
  compound 
  ; 
  the 
  same 
  colony 
  may 
  show 
  

   transitions 
  from 
  the 
  cylindrical 
  to 
  the 
  palmate 
  type. 
  A 
  spirit-speci- 
  

   men 
  of 
  the 
  cylindrical 
  form 
  has 
  a 
  pale 
  brownish-yellow 
  colour, 
  and 
  

   its 
  surface 
  is 
  seen 
  under 
  the 
  lens 
  to 
  be 
  very 
  minutely 
  hispid 
  with 
  the 
  

   projecting 
  ends 
  of 
  the 
  primary 
  fibres. 
  The 
  primary 
  fibres 
  are 
  mostly 
  

   somewhat, 
  though 
  slightly, 
  sand-cored 
  near 
  the 
  surface 
  (much 
  less 
  

   than 
  in 
  C.pennatula) 
  ; 
  they 
  measure 
  about 
  "04 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  

   the 
  secondaries 
  somewhat 
  less 
  ; 
  fibres 
  very 
  pale 
  yellow 
  in 
  spirit- 
  

   specimens, 
  colourless 
  in 
  dry 
  skeletons. 
  Surface-texture 
  much 
  finer 
  

   thau 
  in 
  0. 
  jiennatula 
  ; 
  surface 
  never 
  broken 
  up 
  into 
  the 
  ridges 
  and 
  

   grooves 
  which 
  distinguish 
  macerated 
  specimens 
  of 
  that 
  species. 
  

   Vents 
  slightly 
  projecting, 
  and 
  sparsely 
  distributed 
  up 
  and 
  down 
  the 
  

   cylindrical 
  axes 
  ; 
  abundant, 
  not 
  projecting, 
  on 
  one 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  pal- 
  

   mate 
  fronds, 
  diameter 
  about 
  "7 
  millim. 
  Consistence 
  in 
  all 
  cases 
  

   very 
  soft 
  and 
  flexible 
  in 
  the 
  macerated 
  state. 
  Owing 
  to 
  the 
  unbroken 
  

   character 
  of 
  the 
  surface, 
  this 
  species 
  is 
  best 
  placed 
  under 
  Pliyllo- 
  

   sj)ongia. 
  I 
  am 
  indebted 
  to 
  Dr. 
  Polcjaeff 
  for 
  pointing 
  out 
  the 
  

   importance 
  of 
  this 
  character 
  in 
  Pliyllospo^igia. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Amirante 
  Islands, 
  beach 
  and 
  17 
  fms. 
  

  

  Distribution. 
  Madagascar 
  {Hyatt). 
  

  

  Phyllospongia 
  madagascarensis, 
  var. 
  supraoculata, 
  nov. 
  

   (Plate 
  LIII. 
  figs. 
  M, 
  M'.) 
  

  

  Some 
  s])ecimens 
  of 
  firm 
  texture, 
  not 
  readily 
  compressible, 
  with 
  

   very 
  smooth 
  dense 
  surface 
  ; 
  form 
  simi^le 
  palmate, 
  much 
  and 
  deeply 
  

   divided 
  or 
  multicaulate 
  ; 
  sometimes 
  partly 
  cylindrical. 
  Vents 
  very 
  

   small, 
  viz. 
  about 
  -4 
  millim. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  on 
  one 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  frond 
  and 
  

   also 
  on 
  its 
  free 
  margin. 
  Meshes 
  of 
  skeleton 
  very 
  close 
  (^. 
  e. 
  pri- 
  

   maries 
  only 
  •! 
  millim. 
  apart 
  at 
  surface) 
  ; 
  sand-cores 
  of 
  primary 
  

   fibres 
  extending 
  a 
  very 
  short 
  distance 
  below 
  the 
  surface. 
  Colour, 
  

   in 
  dry 
  state 
  (well 
  preserved 
  specimens), 
  cream 
  to 
  pure 
  white. 
  

  

  Several 
  small 
  specimens, 
  the 
  greatest 
  height 
  and 
  lateral 
  expansion 
  

   being 
  about 
  70 
  millim. 
  (2|- 
  inches). 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Providence 
  Island, 
  Mascarene 
  group 
  ; 
  African 
  Island, 
  Ami- 
  

   rante 
  group, 
  beach. 
  

  

  CARTERISPONGIA. 
  

  

  Carteviosp:>ugia, 
  Hyatt, 
  Mem. 
  Bost. 
  Soc. 
  ii. 
  p. 
  640. 
  

   Mauricea, 
  Carter, 
  Amu 
  Sf 
  Mag. 
  N. 
  H. 
  1877, 
  xx. 
  p. 
  174. 
  

  

  Curiously 
  enough, 
  these 
  two 
  generic 
  terms 
  were 
  published 
  within 
  

   four 
  months 
  of 
  each 
  other 
  {Carteriospongia, 
  May, 
  Mauricea, 
  Sep- 
  

   tember, 
  1877). 
  As, 
  however, 
  the 
  former, 
  besides 
  having 
  this 
  slight 
  

  

  