180 HIECINIA. 



cavities are comparatively small, but the exhalant ^canal-stems are often 

 distended to form irregular lacunar spaces 1-3 millim. wide in the interior of 

 the sponge. 



Geographical Distribution. — North Atlantic : Bahamas ; Cuba ; St. Thomas 

 (^British Mus. Coll. ; Dacliassaing and Michelotti) ; Couch Reef, Florida (Bos- 

 ton Soc. Coll.). 



East coast of Australia : Port Jackson, N. S. W. (Lendenfeld). 



Hircinia australis, n. sp. 



Massive sponges with lobose or digitate processes, which are generally erect 

 and more or less branched. The whole sponge attains a height of 200 millim. ; 

 the branches are generally slightly compressed, on an average 20 millim. broad, 

 12 millim. thick, and 30 millim. long. The surface is covered with conic, 

 sharp-pointed conuli 2-3 millim. high, which are about 4 millim. apart. The 

 oscula are 2-4 millim. wide, and scattered over the prominent parts of the 

 sponge. The colour of the living sponge is pale red on the surface and dirty 

 white in the interior; these colours are retained by spirit-specimens. 



The skeleton consists of very dense longitudinal fascicles of simple main fibres 

 in which an irregular row of scattered sand-grains is observed. These fascicles 

 do not exceed 0*3 millim. in width. In some places they are condensed to a 

 single main fibre, 0-1 millim. thick. These longitudinal main fibres or fascicles 

 are about 1 millim. apart, and joined by simple or more or less fascicular con- 

 necting-fibres. Some of the simple connecting-fibres attain a thickness of 0*08 

 millim. in the middle, and extend where they join the main fibre to 0-02 millim. 

 More slender connecting-fibres, attached by several roots, and measuring only 

 0-05 millim. in width, are moi'e frequent. The meshes between the fascicles 

 are square, with rounded corners, 0-8-l"2 millim. wide. The filaments are 

 0"006 millim. thick, and generally covered with brown spots. 



The inhalant canal-stems are very large and abundant, on an average 0-3 

 millim. wide, and just below the surface 0*5 millim. apart. The ciliated 

 chambers measure 0-033 millim. in width. 



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

 N. S. W. (Lendenfeld). 



Hircinia calyculata, n. sp. 



Elegantly cup-shaped sponges, which attain a height of 250 millim. In 

 some specimens the cup is about as broad as deep ; in others much shallower. 

 The margin is always turned outward, and often slightly recurved, so that the 

 whole structure becomes vase-shaped. The wall of the cup is 30 to 40 millim. 



