194 



••ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



sponges, with very irregular digitate processes." From the 

 fragmentary material at my disposal all that I am able to say is 

 that they are ramose, and, in some cases at least, stipitate ; 

 with branches which exhibit somewhat the same peculiarity as 

 shown by the var. geminus, and which attain a thickness of 

 as much as 15 mm. The main fibres are usually between 70 

 and 150 mm. in stoutness, but may attain to 200;*. The only 

 tangible differences between this variety and the preceding, 

 are afforded by the spicules. The auxiliary spicules are only 

 slightly enlarged basally, and are somewhat shorter ; the 

 special dermal spicules are usually simple styli without tylosis, 

 and quite commonly exhibit a very minute basal spination ; the 

 chelae appear not to display the peculiarity mentioned for the 

 preceding. The maximum size of the spicules is as follows : — 



Megascleres. — 



(i.) Principal styli, 220-240 x 7-8.5 ;«. 



(ii.) Acanthostyli, 60-85 x 6-7 j<. 



(iii.) Auxiliary subtylostyli, 280-310 x 6-7 j*. 



(iv.) Special dermal styli, usually less than 130 x 4-5 )<• 



Microscleycs. — 



(i.) Larger chelae, 12-16 /< long, 

 (ii.) Contort chelae, 7-1 1 ;i long, 

 (iii.) Toxa : observed lengths, 60-230 >(. 

 Loc. — Port Jackson {Lendenfeld). 



Rhaphidophlus tvpicus, var. anchoratus, Carter. 

 (Plate xxix., and fig. 39.) 



This variety is represented by three specimens of thin flabel- 

 liform habit. One is regularly ovate in outline with even or 

 crenulated margin, and with shallow grooves on both faces, 

 radiating to the distal border. This specimen exhibits an 

 exact correspondence in habit to Carter's Echinonema pectini- 

 formis. The grooves are such as to suggest that neighbouring 

 marginal processes, at first distinct, have subsequently become 

 united by intergrowth, or that superficial demarcation occurs 

 between processes prior to, or without^ their actual separation. 

 A second specimen (Plate xxix.) is abundantly provided 

 with cylindrical marginal digitations, and similar processes in 

 lesser number arise from its faces ; it is slightly larger than the 

 others, measuring 230 mm. in height. The third differs from 

 either of the preceding in the absence of a stalk ; otherwise it 



