318 Mr. H. J. Carter on 



fibres of the sponge by being smaller, together with the 

 terminal bulbs which characterize the filament, but so abun- 

 dant as to mask over, by a rounded form in the midst of the 

 sand, the characteristic anfractuosities of the purer form, 

 and thus give it a smooth papillated surface in which the 

 papilliform elevations frequently run into linear ridges. 



Euspongia anfractuosa resembles the representation of 

 " Spongia cavernosa " (Duch. et Mich. Caribbean Sea Sponges, 

 pi. iii. fig. 4), also Hyatt's photograph of his " Spongia mean- 

 driniformis" (op. et loc. cit. pi. xvi. fig. 2). 



Coscinoderma lanuginosum. 

 Coscinoderma lanuginomim, Ann. 1883, vol. xii. p. 309. 



There are two spirit-preserved specimens of this species, 

 both of which are very much alike throughout, being stipitate, 

 expanding from a round stem, terminated by a root-like ex- 

 tremity, into a subtriangular body, compressed, thinning to 

 the margin, and bearing on its upper border, which forms one 

 side of the triangle, a series of short, conical, truncated pro- 

 cesses of different sizes. Consistence resilient. Colour, when 

 fresh, " grey ;" the same now, but faint yellow internally. 

 Surface even, consisting of an arenaceous incrustation which 

 is uniformly perforated by circular holes about l-48th in. in 

 diameter, and a little more than this apart. Pores in the 

 dermal sarcode tympanizing the bottom of the circular holes. 

 Vents on the conical processes which project from the 

 upper border. Fibre very fine and uniform in calibre, 

 scantily cored here and there with foreign objects, for 

 the most part solid and clear, also scantily branched, but often 

 united transversely by a short portion of the same calibre, 

 which is perpendicular to the two filaments thus united ; very 

 abundant and compact, so as to give the parenchyma a felt- 

 like appearance and consistence, traversed by the canals of 

 the excretory system. Size of largest specimen 4^ in. high 

 including the stem, and 2\ x 1 in. horizontally in the greatest 

 dimensions. 



Hah. Marine. 



Loc. Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Depth 19 fath. 



Obs. The specimens, although much smaller, are precisely 

 the same as that described under the above name in the 

 1 Annals ' {loc. cit.). 



Paraspongia laxa^ n. sp. 



Specimens dry. Massive, much lobed, somewhat compressed 

 now, sessile, contracted towards the base ; lobes marailliform, 

 erect, and proliferous. Consistence now firm, but very light. 

 Colour on the surface for the most part black, becoming 



