98 Miss J. Stephens on new 
the shell by means of the spongin which binds together the 
cage of macroscleres in which it is enclosed. 
The skeleton, as far as can be seen, is a rather close net- 
work of spicules. The spongin could not be made out, and it 
must be very scanty in quantity, as the spicules at once fall 
apart when a small specimen is sectioned by hand. 
iene 
2. 
ee. 
SS 
LP ons, 
Se ay 
SH ry 
wantin 
Spongilla (Stratospongilla) benguelensis, sp. 1. 
a, strongyla, X 830; b, developing strongyla, x 380; c, microxea, x 600; 
d, gemmule-spicules, X 600; e, gemmule freed from its cage of 
macroscleres, X 60, 
The gemmules, as already stated, are firmly fixed to the 
shell by means of the spongin binding the cage of macro- 
scleres which encloses each gemmule. These macroscleres 
lie tangentially to the surface of the gemmule, they are 
strongly bound together by spongin, and adhere closely to 
each other, unlike the rest of the skeleton. ‘he gemmule 
rests on the floor of the cage, and, at least in the dried state, 
there is a consideiable space between the sides and roof of the 
cage and the gemmule. Similar cages of macroscleres have 
been described in other species—for example, in Spongilla 
etheria, Annandale, Corvosporgilla burmanica  (Kirk- 
patrick), Corvospongilla lapidosa (Annandale), and Corvo- 
spongilla scabrispiculis, Annandale. ‘The gemmules them- 
selves are spherical and are about 0°33-0°42 mm. in diameter. 
an < hemi alt Sofa Te 
