the ' Challenger ' Monaxonida. 479 



ting from a fibrous or reticulate axis, spreading out at their 

 tops and supporting the dermal memlDrane with its reticula- 

 tion of spiculo-fibre. Very large subdermal cavities. Spicules 

 acuate (and sometimes acerate). 



Ciocalypta hyaloderma^ n. sp. 



Cylindrical, ramose. Dirty brown ; very delicate and 

 fragile. Dermis stellately marked, transparent. Skeleton of 

 axial portion both fibrous and reticulate. Spicules smooth, 

 slightly curved, fairly gradually, but not very sharply pointed 

 acuates ; size in the dermal reticulation '53 by '014 millim., 

 in the central portion 1"0 by '037 millim. 



Locality. Station 320, off the Rio de la Plata, 600 fath. 



Ciocalypta amorphosa^ n. sp. 



Massive, amorphous. Grey. Very spongy, fibrous, honey- 

 combed. Dermal membrane stretched on top of numerous 

 projecting fibrous tufts. Main skeleton confused. Spi- 

 cules : — (1) smooth, sliglitly curved, fusiform, sharp-pointed 

 acerates, size up to \'l by "02 millim. ; (2) slightly curved 

 smooth acuates, size up to about 1*47 by '028 millim. 



Locality. Station 320, off the Eio de la Plata, 600 fath. 



Genus ACANTHELLA (Schmidt). 



Ramose or bushy. Texture cartilaginous. With glabrous 

 surface beset with ridges and spines. Skeleton-spicules 

 smooth (acuate, cylindrical, and acerate). 



Aca7itliella pulcherrvmaj n. sp. 



l = Acanthella^ sp., Ridley, Zool. Coll. H.M.S. ' Alert/ 

 Brit. Mus. 1884, p. 463, q. v. for description "^.J 

 Locality. Torres Straits, 3-11 fath. 



Genus AxiNELLA (Schmidt). 



Typically ramose (may be massive). Fibre plumose. 

 Skeleton-spicules acuate and sometimes acerate or cylindrical. 



Awinella arhorescens, n. sp. 



Erect, ramose, cylindrical or flattened. Height 8^ inches, 

 diameter of brandies ^ inch. Greyish yellow. Texture firm 



* We must add that an unequal-ended acerate is also common, though 

 not originally mentioned, measuring about the same as the acuate. 



