446 Mr. H. J. Carter on 



the axis to the surface on each side, traversed by the canals 

 of the excretory system. Spicules of one form only, viz. 

 acerate, fusiform, curved, sharp-pointed, about 60 by 3-6000th3 

 in., arranged fascicularly. Size of specimen about 3 in. high 

 and 3i in. across the brim, cup 2^ in, deep, wall in its thickest 

 part about j in. 



Loc. Port Phillip Heads. 



Obs. This specimen is very like Bowerbank's figures of his 

 Isodictya infimdibuliformis (B. S. vol. iii. pi. liv.) ; but I 

 could see no acuate spicules among the acerates of the Austra- 

 lian species. 



Phlceodictyina. 



There are several fragments of the tubular appendages of 

 Bowerbank's Australian form oi Desmacidon Jeffreysii [Ocean- 

 apia^ Norman), viz. D. Jistulosa, Bk. (Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1873, p. 19, pi. iv. figs. 7 and 8), but no entire specimen, 

 together with a thick fragment in which several tubes appear 

 to be joined together longitudinally, hence might be termed 

 provisionally : — 



Phloeodictyon cokcerens. 



This fragment, which is cylindrical, consists of the free end 

 of a portion 2^ in. long by I5 in. in diameter at the base, 

 which is truncated, diminishing slightly towards the free end, 

 which is round, flat, and obtuse ; the truncated end presents 

 a septate structure composed of about twenty tubes, large and 

 small, in juxtaposition, and these, much diminished in calibre, 

 present themselves in the form of as many circular holes or 

 vents at the free end, which is thus rendered cribriform, like 

 the top of a " pepper-box ;" hence the structure, instead of 

 beino- a simple single tube as in Desmacidon jistulosa^ is a 

 composite one in which many tubes cohere together like a gun 

 with a plurality of barrels. In other respects the structure is 

 just like that of the tubular appendages of this species, and 

 the spicule (of which there is only one form, viz. acerate, 

 curved, cylindrical, and abruptly pointed, about 35 by 

 2-6000ths in.) is also much the same if not identical ; so that 

 it is possible that this may be only another but composite 

 form of one of these appendages, hence it has been " provi- 

 sionally " designated " coliceransi''' Until therefore it is 

 known whether this is the whole of the sponge minus its base, 

 or whether it is only part of the tubular appendages of a 

 turnip-shaped body like that of Desmacidon Jistulosa^ the ques- 

 tion must remain undetermined. 



Loc. Port Western. 



