414 Mr. H. J. Carter on two new Sponges 



canals empties itself (Annals, 1869, vol. iii. p. 17, and 1872, 

 vol. ix. p. '^'2). Perhaps most of all it is like tSclimidt's Tetilla 

 polyura^ wliich came from Desterro, on the coast of Brazil ; 

 but it contains no bihamates, which makes it differ, I think, 

 from all the other species known but the one from Shetland, 

 about to be described. 



I am not able to state if, like the other Tetliyadce^ its in- 

 ternal structure radiated from a nucleus ; but if so, the frag- 

 ments would lead me to infer that this must have been situated 

 towards the base. Here, of course, our young one does not 

 assist us, as to ascertain this poiiit by its destruction would not 

 compensate our loss of the only entire form of this sponge 

 that we possess. 



With reference to the nature of the grains of sand which 

 pervade these fragments, I might here state that they have a 

 lava-like aspect and structure, as if they originally came from 

 the active volcanoes witnessed and measured by Sir James 

 Ross on the adjoining continent. 



Rossella antarctica^ nov. gen. PI. XXI. 



Large peripheral spicule with quaternate or cruciform head, 

 consisting of four arms radiating at more or less than right 

 angles from the peripheral end of a vertical shaft (PI. XXI. 

 fig. 1) ; arms very long, spreading, somewhat sigmoid in their 

 course (fig. 6), round, ending in attenuated extremities, covered 

 throughout with a layer of microspines in close approximation, 

 and here and there large or macrospines, all directed out- 

 wards (figs. 1, a,b, and 4, c, d), the latter failing towards each 

 end of the arm ; shaft also sharp-pointed, and covered with 

 the layer of microspines, but not so distinct, and entirely with- 

 out macrospines (fig. 1, (f, c) ; so that, under a low j)ower, the 

 arms appear spined and the shaft smooth. 



Podal spicvile consisting of a long shaft with anchor-head 

 composed of four recurved arms (fig. 7) and sometimes a fifth, 

 which is in continuation with the shaft, and thus renders the 

 spicule hexactinellid (fig. 8, a). Peripheral and podal spicules 

 both visible to the unassisted eye, the largest of the former 

 presenting a shaft about 4^-1 2ths and each of the arms about 

 B-12ths of an inch long (figs. 5 &6). Head of podal spicule 

 l-20th of an inch broad, and longest fragment of shaft, with 

 head attached, 1^ inch (fig. 10). From the latter having be- 

 come attenuated towards the broken end, it is probable that, 

 if entire, it would not have exceeded two inches. Length of 

 podal spicule, generally, unknown. 



Hab. Marine. Deep sea, in 206 to 300 fathoms. 



Loc. Antarctic Ocean, in lat. 74^° to 77|° S., and long. 

 175° W. 



