214 Mr. H. J. Carter on 



and orange within. Surface smooth, consisting of an areni- 

 ferous dermis. Pores plentifully scattered all over the dermis. 

 Vent single at the bottom of the depression in the summit. 

 Parenchyma cancellous, areniferous, without fibre. Size of 

 the largest specimen, for there are two, 3f in. high by l^xl 

 in. in its greatest dimensions. 



Hab. Marine. 



hoc. Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Depth 18 fath. 



Obs. It is the peculiarity in shape more than anything else 

 which characterizes this species. Mr. Wilson has compared 

 one of the specimens to " a ripe fig." The colour of the sarcode 

 internally is orange-yellow, like that of many specimens of 

 H. Icevis. 



Sarcocornea, nov. gen. 



Char. The same as that of Holopsamma, but with the sar- 

 code inspissated, voluminous, and more or less transformed 

 into keratine, that is ; rendered horny. 



Sarcocornea nodosa, n. sp. 



Specimen dry, massive, sessile, contracted towards the base, 

 somewhat compressed, lobulated on both sides. Consistence, 

 when dry, extremely hard, chiefly owing to the thickness of 

 the dermal sarcode. Colour dark grey-brown on the surface, 

 lighter internally from the presence of the white particles of 

 foreign material. Surface smooth, even, consisting of the 

 thick glutinous dermal layer. Pores in juxtaposition in the 

 thick dermal membrane, leading down (as seen in the section) 

 by vertical canals into the subdermal cavities. Vents very 

 numerous, marginate, situated all over the crest and on the 

 prominent parts of the lobes of the specimen. Structure in- 

 ternally compact, glutinous ; parenchymatous sarcode more or 

 less keratose ; charged diffusively with arenaceous foreign 

 material ; the whole traversed by the branches of the excretory 

 canal -systems. Size of specimen 5 in. high by 7^x3 in. 

 horizontally in its greatest dimensions. 



Hab. Marine. 



Loc. Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Depth? 



Obs. There is but one specimen of this kind which has 

 been dried, and therefore the inspissated keratose sarcode 

 hardened by contraction almost into the consistence of dry 

 dark-brown glue, which is the chief character of the species. 



It seems desirable for more immediate reference that, before 

 going further, I should insert here the following copy of the 



