Genera Axinella, Phakellia, Acanthella a. o. a1 
scribed a number of “species” of the new genus; as far as I know 
this number amounts to 40. But here we find the same as we 
stated for Axinella. Part of them are mere synonyms; others are 
too insufficiently described to allow an opinion; again others do 
certainly not belong to it. I shall not enter in discussion here 
about the whole synonymy. I wish only to state that FLEmme 
(1828, p. 523) applied the name Halichondria ventilabra, which JoHN- 
sSTONn correctly changed into ventilabrum, to Spongia ventilabra of 
Linx& (1767, p. 1296). However, Linw& refers to the illustration 
given by SeEBA (1758, tab. 95, fig. 8) and to Pauuas’s Spongia strigosa. 
Esper (1794, p. 210) likewise identifies Spongia strigosa Pall. with 
Spongia ventilabra L. I found in the collection of the Museum in 
Leiden a dried sponge (numbered by me M. L.B. 3), which so much 
resembles the figure of SeBA, that it might be the type. As this 
specimen (M.L.B.3) is certainly a Phakellia, corresponding to 
BOWwERBANK’s Ph. ventilabrum, we may safely accept the views of 
Linx£ and Esper. Consequently are Ph. ventilabrum and Sp. strigosa 
identical, and the type of Phakellia has to be called Ph. strigosa (PAuLL.). 
Leaving further argumentation to another opportunity, I only 
mention here that I include as synonyms: Spongia zetlandica JAMESON, 
S. zxerampelina LMmk&., 8. scypha MonT., S. ventilabriformis GRAY, 
Phakellia robusta Bw. 
Sections of our sponge show that in the axial skeleton the 
spieules are generally quite imbedded in spongin, forming elementary 
fibres or funiculi. These funiculi ramify and anastomose in order 
to form a network, which thus represents a funis (Taf. 15 Fig. 4). 
The number of funiculi composing a funis is very variable; hence is 
the diameter of the latter exceedingly variable. Whereas in Axinell« 
the axis is formed by one or at any rate very few funes, we find 
in Phakellia that the axis is built up by a large quantity of funes, 
which give off branches (generally smaller), which anastomose with 
other funes. In this way again a network is formed with rather 
large meshes (Taf. 16 Fig. 7), easily seen with the naked eye. The 
extra-axial skeleton of Phakellia is composed of funiculi, rather 
abruptly starting from the axial skeleton and for the greater part 
placed perpendicularly on the axis, resp. the sponge surface (Taf. 16 
Fig. 8). They ramify sparingly and are hardly united to neighboring 
ones. Hence there is not seen such a more or less reetangular 
network as in Axinella. If they are united it is generally by one 
or two single spicules, which diverge much from their funiculus. On 
