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



fibrous, elastic. Conulose, especially on tlie convex side, 

 which also bears the oscula, which are small and numerous. 

 Pores on concave surface. Fibre stout, AxmeUa-\\\iQ^ the 

 spicules with their bases in the centre and their apices pro- 

 jecting obliquely forwards. Spicules : — (1) entirely but 

 slightly spined acuates, gradually sharp-pointed, size '6 by 

 •03 millim. ; (2) smaller acuates as (I), but more strongly 

 s])ined, size '28 by '013 millim. ; (3) bicapitate cylindricals, 

 with oval heads (sometimes not distinguishable), spined at 

 ends, size "25 by '01 millim. ; (4) tridentate eqo'anchorates, 

 shaft curved and slightly swollen in the centre, length "027 

 millim. ; (5) bihamates, usually much contort, size "044 by 

 •004 millim. 



Locality. Station 170, off Kermadec Islands, 520 fath. 



Genus Clathria (Schmidt). 



Horny fibre well developed, cored by acuate spicules, and 

 echinated by smaller spined acuates. Flesh-spicules small 

 palmate equianchorates. No special dermal crust of spicules. 



Clathria Lendenfeldi^ n. sp. 



Subrepent, cylindrical. Light yellow. Soft, fibrous, elastic. 

 Surface hispid. Fibre stout. Spicules : — (1) straight smooth 

 acuates or subspinulates, gradually and sharply pointed, 

 sometimes faintly spined at base, size "35 by "005 millim. 

 (dermal) ; (2) stout, smooth, gradually sharp-pointed acuates, 

 slightly curved, size •G by ^02 millim. ; (3) short, straight, 

 bluntly -pointed acuates (main skeleton), strongly spined all 

 over, size '08 by '005 millim., echinating the skeleton-fibre 

 in great numbers ; (4) minute palmate equianchorates, "005 

 millim. long. 



Locality. Off Port Jackson. 



Clathria elegantula^ n. sp. 



Sessile, composed of much-flattened, expanded, divided 

 lobes (height and breadth each about 3$ inches, thickness 

 -]% inch). Pale brownish yellow. Soft, spongy, fibrous. 

 Surface conulose, with a thin dermal membrane stretched 

 between the conuli over large subdermal cavities. Skeleton 

 complicated, primary lines alone cored by smooth subspinu- 

 lates. Spicules : — (1) slender straight subspinuUvres, size '2 

 by •OOS millim. ; (2) slender, sharp-pointed, entirely spined 

 echinating acuates, size '07 by "0032 millim. ; (3) palmate 

 equianchorates, length ^02 millim. 



Locality. Station 162, Bass Straits, 38 fath. 



