Sponges front, the Atlantic Ocean, 235 



respectively the centre of each group of the small, subskeleton, 

 acerate spicules (fig. 5, d)^ which thus give the surface its- 

 hirsute, tufted character. The flesh-spicules do not traverse 

 the dermal sarcode, but are arranged, feather-like, and sparsely, 

 around the acuates of the interior, varying much in size. 

 Entire specimen consisting of a group of three cones, each 

 of which is about 8-12ths inch long, and 3-12ths inch in 

 diameter at the base. 



Hah. Marine, on hard objects. 



Loc. The North-Sea side of Shetland in 64 to 75 fathoms. 



Ohs. This sponge has been named, described, and illus- 

 trated by Dr. Bowerbank, as above indicated, from "Shetland, 

 in the cabinet of the liev. A. M. Norman ;" but as tlie speci- 

 mens were dry and mine is wet, it has seemed to me desirable 

 to describe and figure it again from the latter. The figures on 

 the jar are " 67 and 68," which give the locality and depths 

 above mentioned. On one of the cones has grown a specimen 

 of Grantia ciliata, ? var. (fig. 6), and a small one of Tethya 

 cranium (fig. 5, a). This is all that is in the jar. The 

 Grantia will be described hereafter. 



In the British Museum, among the specimens dredged up 

 on board the ' Noma ' on the coast of Portugal, is a sponge 

 of a similar conical form, also grouped, but with a tubcrculated 

 surface, each tubercle of which is supported on a bundle of 

 spicules that radiate from a solid, conical, central axis. 

 Here, however, there is only one kind of spicule, viz. acuate, 

 smooth, and sharp-pointed ; so that it does not belong to the 

 Ectyonida, but, belonging to the Axinellida, might be called 

 ''^ CiocalyiAa (Bk.) tuherculata^'' seeing that, like other species 

 of this group about to be mentioned, it will probably have to 

 come under the order Echinonemata. 



Another similar (/. e. conical) form has been described and 

 named by Dr. Bowerbank Ciocalypta penicillus (Mon. Brit. 

 Spong. vol. ii. p. 81, and vol. iii. pi. xiii. figs. 2-4) ; but this 

 is a massive one, in which the characteristic conical heads, at 

 first grouped, soon pass into a common body from which the 

 characteristic ends alone project. There is a specimen of this 

 kind in the British Museum, 6 inches in diameter, which, from 

 its white surface and yellowish interior, might be taken for 

 Halichondria 2Jcinicea, Johnst. It also has only one form of 

 spicule, viz. acuate, smooth, sharp-pointed. 



A third species has been named "C Zee^ " by Dr. Bower- 

 bank ((9j>. cit. vol. iii. pi. Ixxxvi. figs. 1-3) ; it, again, has 

 only one form of spicule, viz. acuate. 



And a fourth the same author has named " C. Tyleri^^ 

 (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1873, p. 21, pi. iv. figs. 9-12, from "Port 



