220 ECHINONEMA. 



axis of the fibres. Fibres densely echinated by spined styli, whicli are straight-, 

 conical, or slightly curved, 0'074 millim. long, and at the base 0'006 millim. 

 thick. Chelae abundant in the ground-substance, 0'014 millim. long. 



Geogeaphical Disteibution. — East coast of Austraha : Port Jackson, 

 N. S. W. {Lendenfeld). 



Schinonema anckoratum, var. dura, nov. 



Very hard dendritic sponges, in the living state light yellow. 



The skeleton consists of a loose network of fibres 0*07 millim. thick, cored 

 with abundant longitudinally disposed oxea, which are 0-2-0*27 millim. long 

 and 0-006 millim. thick, densely spined with conic styli 0-095 millioi. long, 

 and at the base 0-01 millim. thick. Chelae scarce. 



Geographical Distribution. — East coast of Australia (Ramsay), 



Schinonema anchoratum, var. lamellosaj nov. 



Erondose, flabelliform, lamellar sponges. 



The skeleton consists of a close reticulation of fibres 0*04 millim. thick, which 

 are cored by dense masses of oxea, O'l millim. long and 0-004 millim. thick, 

 and echinated by not quite so abundant spined styli, which are on an average 

 0*08 millim. long, and at the base 0-009 millim. thick. Chelae scarce. 



Geographical Distribution. — New Zealand : Port Chalmers (Parker). 



Echinonema levis, n. sp. 



Large, digitate, or lobose erect sponges, which have a perfectly smooth and 

 continuous surface. Smaller specimens appear more massive, whilst larger 

 ones are generally composed of digitate, distally rounded, cylindrical processes. 

 Some of the specimens are lamellar, flabelliform or frondose, with slightly 

 irregular serrated margin. The sponge attains a height of 200 millim. Colour 

 in the hving state and in spirit grey. 



The s7i.-eZe<on consists of irregularly curved, for the mos' part longitudinally 

 extending fibres, 0*03 millim. thick, which contain abundant straight or slightly 

 curved styli, 0-27 millim. long and 0-007 millim. thick. The fibres are densely 

 echinated by spined conical styli, 0-08-0-1 millim. long, and at the base 0-007 

 millim. thick. 



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

 N. S. W. (Ramsay). 



