4 SYCAJfDEA. 



curved and irregular, massed on the summits of the ciliated tubes. In each 

 group 6-10 long diacts, 0-96-1 X 0*05 millim., and very numerous short 

 ones 0-04-0-2 millim. long, of the same thickness. The latter are inflated at 

 the distal ends. The terminal knobs, which have a diameter of 0-08-0-1 

 millim., form a hard pavement on the surface. 



Geographical Distribution. — South coast of Australia : Port Phillip (Len- 

 denfeld), Bass Straits (Haeckel), Moncoeur Island ('Challen(/er'). East coast of 

 Australia : Port Jackson (Bamsay). 



Sycandra ramsayi, Lendenfeld. 



Sycnndra ramsayi, E, von Lendenfeld, "A Monograph of the Australian 



Sponges. — Part III.," Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South 



AVales, vol. ix. part 4, p. 1097 (1885). 



Sac-shaped or spherical Sycandra', which never form colonies, and which 



attain a height of 50 and a diameter of 40 millim. The body- wall is very thick ; 



so that even the largest specimens have a comparatively small gastral cavity, 



which is more or less tubular, sac-shaped. In consequence of the thickness of the 



body-wall, the ciliated chambers attain an exceptional length ; they are longest 



in the middle of the sponge : their length decreases towards the oral and aboral 



ends. The sponge attains, in consequence of the long protruding dermal 



diacts, a very hairy appearance. The circular osculum, 5-10 millim. in 



diameter, is surrounded by a frill of very long (4 millim.) longitudinal 



diacts. The proti'uding, nearly conic, distal ends of the elongate ciliated 



chambers are crowned by clusters of very long and slender diacts. 



Spicules. — Gastral tetrads. Very slender, iri'egular ; centripetal radial 

 ray conic or cylindrical, nearly straight, 0*22 x 0-005 millim.; trans- 

 verse tangential rays straight, 0-2x0-0048 millim.; longitudinal tangential 

 ray 0-1 x 0-003-0-004 millim., pointing towards the aboral pole. The 

 centripetal radial rays protrude into the gastral cavity. — Parenchymal 

 Spicules. Triacts and tetracts, with numerous transition-forms. The 

 largest tetracts perfectly regular ; all rays straight, slender, and slightly 

 conic, 0-17x0-0048 millim. The rays of the largest triacts, which are 

 likewise regular, of the same dimensions. Towards the outer surface the 

 spicules become sagittal, the unpaired rays always being longer and pointing 

 outwards. Measurements of the dermal tetracts and triacts : centrifugal 

 ray 0-15-0-18x0-006 millim., tangential rays 0-07-0-12x0-006 millim.— 

 Dermal protruding diacts straight, slightly leaning towards the osculum, cylin- 

 drical in the centre, and conic at both ends ; the proximal end more abruptly 

 pointed than the distal end ; 1-8-2-5x0-021 millim. 



Geographical Distribution. — East coast of Australia : Port Jackson, 

 "Bottle and Glass rocks," on black mud, 10 fathoms (Ramsay). 



