SEITLEBA. 79 



Reniera megarrhaphea, n. sp. 



Massive, lobose, digitate, erect sponges, which are attached by a small base, 

 and attain a height of 150 millira. The digitate processes generally coalesce 

 for the greater part of their length, and taper towards their upper end ; 

 on their summits the irregular and small oscula are situated. Also on the 

 sides of the digitate processes a few slightly elevated oscula are situated. The 

 surface is smooth, the base of attachment generally very narrow. 



The skeleton consists of bundles of spicules, arranged somewhat in the fashion 

 of a network, the meshes of which measure 0'015-0-02 millim. The spicules 

 in the bundles are rather irregularly situated ; they are straight or slightly 

 curved oxea, 0-5 millim. long, and 0-03 millim. thick in the centre. There 

 are also much smaller ones, densely packed, and scattered more or less irregu- 

 larly between the fibres, and also participating in their formation ; these are 

 straight, pointed oxea, about 0-02 millim. long and O'OOS millim. thick. 

 Spongin cementing the spicules is not discernible. 



GrEOGEAPHiCAL DiSTBiBUTioN. — East coast of Australia : Port Jackson, 

 N. S. W. {LendenfeU). 



Reniera pandaea, n. sp. 



Sponge fan-shaped, attached by a small base, 150 millim. high, 200 millim. 

 broad, and 20-30 millim. thick. Oscula on the upper semicircular margin, 

 numerous, circular, on an average 5 millim. in diameter. Surface smooth. 



The sheleton is composed of a network of 0-02 millim. thick fibres, with 0'3 

 millim. wide meshes. The fibres consist of densely packed parallel spicules ; these 

 are styli, slightly curved, 0-13 millim. long and 0-005 millim. thick, conic, and 

 tapering to a somewhat blunt point. Similar spicules are also found scattered 

 in the ground-substance. 



Geogeaphioal Disteibution. — East coast of Australia : Port Jackson, 

 N. S. W. (Ramsay). 



Reniera lobosa, n. sp. 



Irregular, massive, lobose sponges, with smooth surface and scattered 

 circular, 3 millim. wide oscula. 



The skeleton is composed of longitudinal main fibres — spicule-bundles, 

 which are connected with each other by scattered spicules ; these fibres are on 

 an average 0'16 milKm. apart and 0"05 millim. thick ; they consist of very 

 irregularly situated spicules, which protrude beyond the surface of the fibre. 

 The spicules are oxystrongyla, slightly angularly curved in the middle, 0-01 



