APLTSILLA. — DENDB.ILLA, 27 



high ; these are ou an average 2-5 millim. apart. The oscula are 1-2 

 millini. wide and on an average 20 millim. apart. The sponge-crusts 

 appear to have an unlimited lateral grovi'th. I have observed crusts which 

 extended for many 3'ards without a break. The colour of the living sponge is 

 violet, with a crimson or carmoisin-red fluorescence. Spirit-specimens appear 

 dark blue. 



The skeleton consists of isolated fibres, which are at the base 0*2 millim. 

 thick. The thickness of the pith-cyliuder is equal to three-fourths of the 

 thickness of the fibre. The fibres appear somewhat irregularly and angularly 

 bent and bear small branches, which are disposed in an irregular verticillate 

 manner. 



Geographical Disteibtjtion. — South coast of Australia : Port Phillip 

 {LendenfeM). East coast of Australia : Port Jackson (Lendenfeld). 



Genus DENDRILLA. 



Large, erect Aplysilliclae, with a dendritic or reticulate skeleton, 

 without cells iu the spongin-walls of the fibres. 



Dendrilla elegansj n. sp. 



Erect, pedunculate, somewhat pyriform sponges, from the upper end and 

 the sides of which small, rounded, digitate or lobose processes arise. The 

 whole sponge attains a height of 220 millim. and a width of 90 millim. 

 Large lacunse are observed in the interior ; these are disposed in such a manner 

 as to lead one to suppose that the massive body of the sponge is the result 

 of the partial concrescences of digitate parts. The surface is pretty smooth, 

 covered with scattered low conuli ; these are in the upper part 5 millim., in 

 the lower part 12 millim. apart. The oscula are scattered and small. 



The final ramifications of the fibres of the sheUton are about 0*2 millim. 

 thick. The pith-cylinder has a diameter equal to two thirds of the diameter 

 of the fibre, and is often not quite centrally situated. 



Geographical Distribution. — East coast of Australia : Port Jackson 

 (^Lendenfeld). 



Dendrilla tenella, n. sp. 



Massive, lobose, digitate sponges, attaining a height of 40 millim. The 

 surface is covered with numerous conuli, which are low and very close together. 

 The oscula are situated, chiefly, on the summits of the processes ; they are 

 3 millim. wide. 



