340 Messrs. S. O. Ridley and A. Dendy on 



Esperella hiserialis. 



Consisting of a long, straight, slender axis, somewhat flat- 

 tened, giving off short, slender, spicular processes in two 

 opposite series along the margins ; coated by a thin crust of 

 soft tissues. Length of sponge 3|- inches, longer diameter ^V 

 inch. Surface hispid. Spicules: — (1) long, slender, fusiform 

 acuates, very thin at both ends, length may reach over 2*0 

 millim., diameter '038 millim. ; (2) spinulates, hastately 

 pointed, size '44 by '01 millim. (dermal) ; (3) minute pal- 

 mate inequianchorates, length "0126 millim. j (4) small 

 slender bihamates, length "025 millim. 



Localities. Station 281, South Pacific, 2385 fath. ; Station 

 291, South Pacific, 2250 fath. 



Genus Esperiopsis (Carter) . 



Acuate or subspinulate skeleton-spicules and palmate equi- 

 anchorate flesh-spicules. 



Esperiopsis symmetrica^ n. sp. 



Erect, slender, cylindrical, covered with numerous long, 

 slender, spicular processes, which cause it to resemble a 

 bottle-brush. Diameter ^inch (including spicular processes). 

 Colour dark chocolate-brown. Skeleton radiately arranged, 

 but with no definite central axis. Spicules : — (1) slender, 

 fusiform^ subspinulate, size about "8 by '028 millim. (or slen- 

 derer) ; (2) large palmate equianchorates, length "037 millim. ; 

 (3) very minute slender bihamates, length '013 millim. ; (4) 

 much larger, very slender bihamates, rather scarce. 



Locality. Off Prince Edward's Island, Southern Ocean, 310 

 fath. 



Esperiojpsis cylindrica^ n. sp. 



Erect, cylindrical, dichotomously branched. Height 11 

 inches. Yellowish grey. Hard and tough, minutely hispid. 

 Skeleton a central core of dense horny fibre, covered by a thin 

 coat of granular choanosome. Spicules chiefly imbedded in 

 spongin in the axis and in fibres radiating to the surface. 

 Spicules : — (1) smooth acuates, (a) stout, up to '7 by "023 

 millim., [b) slender, up to -7 by '0063 millim. ; (2) small 

 palmate equianchorates, length -025 millim. ; (3) smooth tri- 

 curvates, "07 millim. long (? foreign). 



Locality. Off Port Jackson, 30-35 fath. 



