232 AULBNA. 



This sponge attains a height of 250 millim. The digitate processes are 

 fusiform, centrally thickened ; at the distal and proximal ends 30 millim., 

 and in. the centre 60 millim. thick. The largest holes in the surface are 

 7 millim. wide. Spicules in the echinated fibres of the surface very abundant. 



Geographical Distribution. — "West coast of Australia : rreemantle,AV. A. 

 {Boiuerbank Coll.). East coast of Australia : Port Jackson, N. S. W. {Lenclen- 

 feld). South coast of Australia : Port Phillip Heads, V. (B. Wilson). 



Aulena gigantea, var. intermedia, Lendenfeld. 



Halme gicjantea, var. intermedia, E. v. Lendenfeld, " Second Addendum to the 

 Monograph of the Australian Sponges," Proceedings of the Linnean 

 Society of New South "Wales, vol. x. part 4, p. 849 (1886). 



This sponge consists of a low incrusting basal mass, from which irregular 

 digitate processes arise. These possess irregular thickenings, so that their 

 surface appears undulating. They attain, in large specimens, a thickness of 

 100 millim. and a length of 300 millim. The meshes in the honeycomb 

 reticulation are 5 millim. wide. The central tube is not quite so wide as 

 the walls are thick. The spicules forming the spines of the echinated super- 

 ficial fibres are comparatively scarce. The colour of the living sponge is bright 

 yellow. 



Geographical Distribution. — East coast of Australia : Broughton Islands 

 (Ramsay). 



Aulena gigantea, var. micropora, Lendenfeld. 



Halme (jifjantea, var. micropora, E. v. Lendenfeld, " Second Addendum to the 

 Monograph of the Australian Sponges," Proceedings of the Linnean 

 Society of New South "Wales, vol. x. part 4, p. 849 (1886). 



This sponge consists of an erect lamellar basal portion, from the upper 

 margin of which four or five digitate processes, which all lie in one plane, grow 

 up. These are upright, conic, 60 millim. broad at the base, regularly circular 

 in transverse section, and taper towards the distal end, which is only 

 10 millim thick. The whole sponge attains a height of 250 millim. The 

 meshes of the honeycomb are 3 millim. wide. The echinated fibres of the 

 surface-skeleton are very short, only about twice as long as the spicules. 



Geographical Distribution. — East coast of Australia : Illawarra, N. S."W, 

 {Bamsuy). 



