SPONGES.-HALLMANN. 



/3 



■covered with numerous prominences of somewhat irregular 

 shape, but of fairly uniform size, whilst the inner surface -S 

 uneven, though devoid of any pronounced inequalities. In the 

 remaining specimens the inner surface is quite free from ir- 

 regularities of any kind, whilst the outer surface is merely 

 lumpy or provided with rounded tubercular elevations of larger 

 size and relatively lesser number than in the type. Finally in 

 the type specimen (sic) of K. silex, both surfaces are plain. 

 This last-mentioned is merely a small piece of the original 

 including portion of the margin, 

 which is sinuous; it was evidenth' 

 taken from a "meandriform lamella" 

 about 6 mm. thick. The "minute 

 ■circular oscula" confined to the inner 

 surface, which Lendenfeld mentions 

 for K. elegans, are not discernible in 

 the present condition of the speci- 

 mens. The consistency is very hard 

 and firm, and the texture coarse and 

 fibrous. The statement of White- 

 legge that the sponge (as represented 

 in a macerated specimen) resembles 

 a "washed-out CJiondropsis'' is 

 meaningless. Lendenfeld 's descrip- 

 tion of the main skeleton is fairly 

 correct, though slight amendments 

 are necessary. He says: — "The 

 skeleton consists of a dense network 

 of exceedingly thick fibres. The 

 main fibres, which extend longi- 

 tudinally from the base of the sponge 

 to the margin of the cup are .2 mm. 

 thick. The connecting transverse 

 fibres have an average diameter of 



The meshes of the network Oxea 



35 — E. elegans. a 

 (showing various 



.07 mm. 



are .48 mm. wide. The fibres consist ^^ages in their passage into 



f , .. , . , ,, strongvla . b Acantno- 



01 dense masses of oxea which are all g. j; 



parallel and disposed longitudin- 

 ally." His description of the skeleton in K. silex is very 

 slight, and moreover (if the ostensible type-specimen is, as all 

 the evidence indicates, genuine) inaccurate. It is as follows : — 

 "The skeleton consists of spicule-bundles .2 mm. thick, com- 

 posed of large and stout styli. There is hardly any spongin 

 discernible. The fibres are echinated by spined styli .09 mm. 

 long and .008 thick." The use of the word "styli" in the 

 latter connection is evidently an error, since Lendenfeld de- 

 fines the genus Kalykenteron as being distinguished in the 



