Sponges from South Australia. 377 



spined, spines large, viz. as long as the shaft is thick ; total 

 size about 20 by 3-6000ths in. Skeletal spicules of both forms 

 mixed in the fibre, the "tibiella"* most numerous; No. 2, 

 the echinating spicule, plentifully dispersed over the fibre. 



Loc. Port Western. 



Obs. This variety is chiefly characterized by the absence of 

 a flesh-spicule, viz. the usual angulated equianchorate, together 

 with the presence of a pinkish colour in the dermis, although 

 in respect to the latter, when only superficial, I am always in 

 doubt how far it may have been derived from the proximity 

 of a similarly coloured sponge, ex. gr. Suherites Wilsoni. 



Axinella chalinoides^ var. crihrosa (dry). 



Specimen a compressed cluster of polychotomous branches 

 rising from a short thick stem witii root-like expansion ; 

 branches finger-like, subcylindrical, subpointed, dividing more 

 or less on the same plane, interuniting more or less midway 

 between the stem and the free extremities. Consistence com- 

 pressible, not hard. Colour fawn-colour. Surface cribrate 

 generally. Pores not seen,probably inthe holes of the cribration. 

 Vents in great plurality, arranged linearly on each side of the 

 subcylindrical branch, deeply sunk into the tissue and rendered 

 stelliform by grooves radiating from them to the surface, 

 probably in the fresh state consisting of subdermal branched 

 venations of the excretory systems leading to the vents. 

 Structure compact generally, that is not condensed axially ; 

 fibre strongly developed, short-jointed. Spicules acuate, of 

 two sizes, viz. one comparatively stout and short, about 25 

 by l-6000th in., and the other long and thin, about 50 by 

 •|- 6000th in. in diameter — the former coring the fibre and pro- 

 jecting through it, especially towards the surface, which is 

 thus rendered shortly hispid, and the latter both in the fibre 

 with the former and loose in the surrounding sarcode. Size 

 of specimen 9 in. high and 4 in. in its broad diameter. 



Loc. Port Phillip Heads. 



Ohs. The rough cribrose surface together with the stelli- 

 form vents and acuate form of spicules of this species cause 

 it to differ from, as much as the general form and linear 

 arrangement of the vents cause it to resemble, the digitiform 

 Clialince. 



Axinella cladojlagellata^ n. sp. 

 Long, round, attenuated, whip-like, branched, scantily 

 divided, the whole rising from a short thick stem. Consis- 

 tence firm. Colour grey. Surface even, granulated with 



* " Tibiella,'' the name proposed for this spicule in the ' Annals ' of 

 1881 (vol. vii. p. 3Gy, pi. xviii. tig. 9, b). 



