Sponges from the Atlantic Ocean. 251 



the same amorphous condition as the preceding one), pos- 

 sessing a smooth, curved, pointed, fusiform, acerate skeleton- 

 spicule (fig. 44, a), and a bihamate flesh-spicule (fig. 44, b). 

 But I do not see any difference, in this respect, between 

 Schmidt's Reniera fibidata (I. c.) and his R. bullata from the 

 coast of Portugal (British Museum, mounted specimen ; and 

 Atlantisch. Spongienf. p. 40). In the mounted specimen at the 

 British Museum, too, of R. accommodata from Cette in the 

 south of France (Spong. Kuste Algier. p. 30) there are with 

 the same form of skeleton-spicule tricurvates as well as bi- 

 hamates. But this is a world-wide sponge, presenting several 

 slight varieties in its spicular complement, yet, I think, only 

 one general form, to which I hope to return for more lengthy 

 consideration on a future occasion, as the subject is thus well 

 worthy of a separate treatise. 



Reniera fibidata and its like will come into a Group as yet 

 unnamed in my fifth division of sponges, viz. Rayneri^e. 



Dictyocylindrus anchorata, n. sp. Plate XV. 

 fig. 43, a, b, c. 



This is another sponge which, in small amorphous masses, 

 occurs about the Corticium just mentioned, and presents three 

 kinds of spicules, viz. a skeleton, an echinating, and a 

 flesh-spicule. Skeleton-spicule stout, smooth, curved, gradu- 

 ally pointed ; but the curve sudden and between the centre and 

 the large end, which is very characteristic of the sponges bear- 

 ing this form of spicule ; average largest size 60 by 2-1800ths 

 inch in its greatest diameters (fig. 43, a). Echinating spicule 

 nearly straight, acuate, or club-shaped and short-spined 

 throughout ; average largest size 34 by |-1 800th of an inch 

 in its greatest diameters (fig. 43, b). By the term " echina- 

 ting " is meant a spicule that has its head fixed in the fibre 

 which sustains the skeleton-spicules, while the rest of its body 

 is free. Flesh-spicule a minute anchorate, of the navicular 

 or weaver's-shuttle-like form, much bent upon itself ; average 

 largest size l^-lSOOth of an inch long (fig. 43, c). 



This sponge would of course come among my fourth division 

 of sponges, viz. Armat^e. 



Hence about the specimen of Corticium abyssi which enve- 

 lops the Lophohelia (see fig. of spec. Annals, I. c.) there 

 are seven kinds of sponges, viz. : — Farrea occa and Aphro- 

 callistes Bocagei, which grew on the branches of the dead 

 coral ; Cliona abyssorum, the boring sponge, which inhabited 

 their interior ; Corticium abyssi, which enveloped the whole ; 

 and Desmacella pumilio, Reniera fibidata, and Dictyocylindrus 



