76 TUBELLA. — MEYENIA. 



centripetal, smaller, terminal disc. The terminal discs are very regular, 

 rotulate, with many sharp, equal teeth ; the thickened end of the amphidisc- 

 shaft slightly projects over each terminal disc in the shape of a semispherical 

 protuberance ; the diameter of the larger centrifugal disc is 0'0125 millim., 

 and of the smaller centripetal one 0*008 millim. 



Geogeaphical Disteibution. — In a swamp near Sydney, New South 

 Wales (Whitelec/ge). 



Note. — I have received Tuhell a-gemmiilse from Lake Hindmarsh in Victoria. 

 I think that they may be referable to this species. 



Genus MEYENIA. 



Spongilliclae, the gemmule-capsules of which consist of amphi- 

 discs, the two terminal discs of which are similar to each other 

 (equibirotulate). 



Meyenia fluviatilis^ auctorum. 



Meyenia jiuviatilis, H. J. Carter, " History and Classification of the known 

 Species of Spongilla,'^ Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 5, 

 vol. vii. p. 92 (1881). 



Spongilla Jiuviatilis, auctorum. 



Sponge massive, irregular, when dry fragile and crumbling. Skeleton- 

 spicules spindle-shaped and gradually pointed, curved. The gemmule is sur- 

 rounded by amphidiscs, with equal deeply-toothed terminal discs. 



This species is frequent in Europe, and occurs also in Australia ; I con- 

 sider the Australian form a variety of the European species. 



Meyenia fluviatilisj var. ramsayi, Haswell. 



Meyenia Jiuviatilis, var. ramsayi. R. v. Lendenfeld, " Die Siisswasser-Ccelen- 

 teraten A.ustraliens," Zoologische Jahrbiicher (Spengel), Bd. ii. (1887) 

 Seite 92. 



JSpongilla ramsayi, W. A. Haswell, " On Australian Freshwater Sponges," Pro- 

 ceedings of theLinnean Society of New South "Wales, vol. vii. p. 210(1883). 



Haswell (I. c.) gave a short description of this sponge, and established a new 

 species for it. The study of Haswell's types at the museum in Sydney, and of 

 specimens found by myself, has led me to the conclusion that this is not a new 

 species, as Haswell thought, but only a variety of the common European fresh- 

 water sponge. 



The sponge is, when alive, of a light brown or dirty yellow colour. It 

 is massive, and has irregular ridges on the surface; the oscula are scattered. 



