Marine Sponges from Japan. 391 



work, when its large sharp end, with the long spines sloping 

 backwards, presents a formidable appearance. No. 3, the 

 clavula (figs. 5, 5), is chiefly gathered together in bundles of 

 six, more or less, around the shaft of the dermal sexradiate, 

 with their heads en groitpe projecting a little above the knob 

 which represents the aborted ray ; or they may be scattered 

 singly along the overlapping arms of these spicules (fig. 11, a). 

 No. 4, the rosette (figs. 6 and 9), is plentifully distributed 

 throughout the sarcode, about the skeletal fibre, and among 

 the spicules generally, but with what arrangement in parti- 

 cular, if any, I have not been able to discover, saving that 

 grouped together in the " mounting " they often appear to 

 present a polyhedral structure. No. 5 (figs. 2 and 10) ap- 

 pears to be entirely confined to the thickening or additional 

 structure at the lower part and base of the specimen, where 

 its incorporation seems to lead to the short-jointed, radiato- 

 reticulated, smooth fibre of which this is composed. Here it 

 may be seen in its separate and thus perfect state, in the 

 interstices, often attached by the end of one arm to the main 

 fibre, and often end to end with one of its own like, by cement- 

 ing siliceous material derived from the same source as the 

 fibre, which is thus on its way to incorporate the whole, and 

 therefore more or less obscures the original spiniferous cha- 

 racter of the arm ; while the skeletal fibre itself, which is 

 smooth, at the same time that it is moulded upon the rest of 

 the spicules (chiefly the dermal sexradiates), which thus 

 become axially incorporated with it, presents in its entirety 

 the quadrilateral from above described. Size of specimen 

 5 in. high by 6^ x 3| in. horizontally in its greatest dimen- 

 sions. Tubo-branch 5 to 6-12ths in. in diameter ; through- 

 out about 5 to 6-12ths in. long between the divisions or 

 joints, dichotomously dividing, until the whole specimen 

 reaches the dimensions above given, which, on account of 

 the extreme ends or growing parts having been broken 

 off, must, as the fragments with the specimen prove, have, 

 when entire, exceeded its present measurements by 2 or 3 

 inches. 



Hab. Marine. 



Loc. Japan ; off Misaki, at the entrance to the Bay of 

 TokiotYedo)^ 



Obs. Ever since I saw and examined the skeletal fragments 

 of Farrea occa in the detrital root-mass of Euplectella cucumer, 

 then in the possession of the late Dr. Farre, now in the 

 British Museum, I have been desirous of seeing an entire 

 specimen of Farrea occa with the sarcode on, so that I might 

 not only know exactly what the general form was, but the 

 forms also of its loose spicules. 



27* 



