420 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
agaricina and SS. officinalis. As might be expected from this statement, they 
are of varied shape, but comparatively uniform in quality and the appearance 
of the surface, which is a fairly even network inclosing numerous small round 
holes averaging about ;’; inch in diameter, the interlying ridges being covered 
with short, bristle-like bundles of fibers. In the general appearance of the sur- 
face these sponges resemble the finer grades of Mediterranean sponges much 
more closely than do any of the other American sponges, but the pores are 
somewhat larger and the projecting bundles of fibers are stouter and stiffer. In 
some specimens, particularly the helmet-shaped ones, which are apparently 
Hyatt’s variety disciformis, the surface is softer than that of the zimocca, but 
not equal to that of the Mediterranean toilet sponge. 
Most of the larger reef sponges from both the Bahamas and Cuba belong to 
Hyatt’s Spongia officinalis subsp. tubilifera vars. pertusa and mollzs (pl. Lv), not 
Lendenfeld’s Euspongia irregularts pertusa, and are massive lobular forms with the 
vents at the conical summits of the fistular lobes or the solid masses into which they 
fuse. Inthe furrows between the lobes and the depressions between the summits of 
those which have fused basally, the surface orifices are larger than elsewhere and 
the projecting bristles are much longer. The vents are generally arranged in 
more or less radiating rows extending down the sides of the sponge. Another 
common type is flattened in a vertical plane, with the oscula lying in a sharp 
crest extending longitudinally up the ends and across the top and surrounded by 
soft tufts of fiber longer than on the rest of the surface (pl. Lv1). Between these 
two types there are intergradations tending to produce more or less massive 
forms, with the oscula in rows or scattered on rounded eminences. Others 
evidently belonging to Hyatt’s S. agaricina punctata are considerably higher 
than broad, and have the oscula more or less radially arranged, those on the 
sides being slit in the direction of the base. These are often included among 
the ‘‘hardheads.’’ ‘The reef sponges are low priced and are used as desk sponges, 
for surgical purposes, for infant toilet sponges, especially when bleached, and 
for various purposes in the arts which require a soft sponge of no great durability. 
HARDHEAD SPONGES. 
The hardheads (pl. Lv), most of which come from the Bahamas, British 
Honduras, Haiti, and the north coast of Cuba, are another miscellaneous group, 
some of which are indifferently assigned to this or the preceding grade, as they 
are harder or softer to the touch. The hardheads are generally elastic and 
resilient, but somewhat less compressible than the preceding and harsher to 
the touch. They are also on the whole more regular in form. 
A considerable number of them, especially among the Cuba specimens, 
belong to Lendenfeld’s Euspongia tirregularis pertusa, the larger and softer 
