THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATUEAL HISTOEY. 



[SIXTH SERIES.] 

 No. 23. NOVEMBER 1889. 



XLIII. — On two new British Sjyecies of Sponges, ioitk short 

 notices of an Ovigerous Sjyecirnen of Hymeniacidon Dujar- 

 dinii, Boiok., and of a Fussil Toxite. By Robert Hope. 



[Plate XVI.] 



Of the two sponges which are treated of iu the following 

 pages one is believed to be new to science, the other, a species 

 of Alicrociona, has been already shortly described by Mr. II. J. 

 Carter, F.R.S. (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) xiv. pp. 456 and 

 457) , as a form of Microciona arinata, Bowk.* ; but, as Mr. 

 Carter did not specifically distinguish it, and only figured the 

 toxite in embryo, it seems desirable now to redescribe it some- 

 what more fully, with illustrations of the spiculation, from a 

 fresh specimen which I have been so fortunate as to obtain. 



The specimen referred to was taken about the middle of 

 March of the present year (1889) from a heap of scallops 

 fresh landed on the beach at Hastings. They were said by a 

 fisherman to have been dredged in about 25 fathoms off 

 Beachy Head j however that may be, it is certain that they 

 came from the English Channel at no very great distance 

 from Hastings. 



This sponge has the spiculation and skeletal arrangement 



* Cf. Mr. Carter's uote, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (G) iv, pp. 249 and 

 250. 



Ann. cfc Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol iv. 24 



