238 Miss Jane Stepliens on 



They luive a sliglitly curved shaft and a Ijead wliicli is 

 thickly covered with short blunt spines. A few small re- 

 curved spines are scattered along the shaft, sometimes to 

 nearly half its length. The shorter acanthostyli are O'll- 

 0-13 mm. in length by 0*006 mm. The shaft is straight, and 

 the head is, at the most, very slightly marked, and is covered 

 with rather long blunt spines. The shaft is spined throughout 

 its length. (2) The dermal spicules are slender strongyla 

 measuring 0"22-0'25 mm. in length by 0"0025 mm. 



Microscleres are absent from the sponge. 



The species was dredged in 37 fathoms off Reenacry Head, 

 Co. Kerry. 



Ectyodoryx atlanticus, sp. n. 



The sponge is coating a piece of coral. 



The main skeleton consists of a network of large acantho- 

 styli, lying usually three or four together, sparingly echinated 

 by small acanthostyli. A small quantity of spongin is 

 present. The dermal spicules form thick fibres, but the 

 exact arrangement cannot be made out owing to the injured 

 surface of the only specimen available. 



Spicules. — (1) Tlie large acanthostyli have a slightly 

 curved shaft. The head is swollen and is covered with short 

 blunt spines. A few spines are sometimes scattered along 

 the shaft for a short distance. On the other hand, some of 

 the spicules are almost quite smooth. These spicules measure 

 about 0'66-0-95 mm. in length by 0-015-0-02 mm. in dia- 

 meter above the head. (2) The echinating acanthostyli are 

 small and few in number. The shaft is straight; the head 

 is a little swollen and is covered with rather long spines. 

 The shaft is thickly set with small recurved spines. The 

 length is 0*1-0'14 mm. by O'Ol mm. above the head. 

 (2) The dermal spicules are strongyla with rather unequal 

 ends, one end being slightly thicker than the other. The 

 shaft is often a little crooked. Length 0'-4-0'5 mm. by 

 0'006 mm. (3) Isochelse arcuatse. The shaft is rather 

 strongly curved. Length 0'0i5-0'06 mm. 



Tlie species was dredged off tiie so .ith- west coast of Ireland 

 in 468 fathoms. 



Eurypon acanthotoxa, sp. n. 



The sponge is growing in a small, thin encrustation on 

 coral. 



The main skeleton consists of acanthostyli which stand 

 vertically with their heads on the substratum. The dermal 



