210 Mr. H. J. Carter on Deep-sea 



seen that the anchorate presents the form specifically termed 

 " /wequianchorate," and thus affords, with that under de- 

 scription, the two principal varieties, viz. the " equi-" and 

 " inequi-" anchorates respectively of this spicule. 



Halichondria incrustans differs from Esperia (Carter) in 

 possessing two forms of skeleton-spicules, viz. an acuate or 

 club-shaped spicule, spined or not, and an acerate (smooth, 

 curved, fusiform, and pointed at each end), sometimes inflated 

 round, hastate, or even minutely spined, at the ends ; while 

 Esperia only possesses one form of skeleton-spicule, viz. 

 smooth, sub-pinlike, fusiform, with the body frequently thicker 

 than the head, which is the reverse of the acuate in H. incrus- 

 tans. The anchorate among the flesh-spicules, too, in H 

 incrustans is equi-ended (equianchorate), while in Esperia it 

 is for the most part znequi-ended (inequianchorate). 



I shall retain the term " Halichondria " for the group of 

 sponges whose type is that of H incrustans and its modifica- 

 tions, as it is necessary to adopt one for this purpose, and this, 

 which appears to have been first introduced by Fleming in 

 1828 (Hist. Brit. Animals, p. 520), has since been most gene- 

 rally used. 



With this short introduction, let us proceed to the descrip- 

 tion of the deep-sea sponges, which respectively will appear 

 under the names : — Guitarra Jimbriata, n. gen. et sp. ; Melon- 

 ancliora elliptica, n. gen. et sp. ; Esperia villosa, n. gen. et sp. ; 

 Esperia cupressijbrmis, n. gen. et sp. ; Chondrocladia virgata, 

 Wy v. Thomson ; Histoderma appendiculatum, n. gen. et sp. ; 

 Halichondria abyssi, n. gen. et sp. ; Halichondria for cipis, Bk. ; 

 Cliona abyssorum, n. gen. et sp. ; Desmacella pumilio y Schmidt ; 

 Beniera Jihdata, Sdt. ; and Dictyocylindrus anchorata, n. gen. 

 et sp., — to which will be added descriptions and figures of three 

 remarkable spicules obtained from arenaceous deposits, respec- 

 tively dredged up on the Agulhas Shoal, Cape of Good Hope, 

 by Dr. G.C. Wallich, in 1857, and obtained just now by Mr. F. 

 Kitton from Colon, Panama ; to the former of which the name 

 Oummina Wallichii, and to the two latter respectively Forcepia 

 colonensis and Corticium Kittonii, will be given. 



Guitarra Jimbriata, n. gen. et sp. PI. XIII. figs. 2-5, and 



PI. XV. fig. 34. 



General form conical (figs. 2 & 3) ; surface villous, even ; 

 villi formed by the projecting ends of the skeleton-spicules, 

 arranged in tufts close together (fig. 3, d), and somewhat spi- 

 rally over the body, lengthened into a tubular fringe around 

 the apex (fig. 3, a). Sessile. Colour grey. Vent chiefly 



