60 I. IJIMA : HEXACTINELLIDA. I. 



no-Yodomi; 313-548 fras. fo72-1002 m.]) and Oki nose (Inside and 

 Outside by the Bishanion-line,'-' the Iwado-line, etc.; 235-313 fms. 

 [429-572 m.]). At Yodomi, Mr. Tsuchida and myself had 

 the good fortune to capture some witli our own hands. Several 

 specimens also came from Homba and a few small individuals 

 from Gokeba. Further in 1899 Kuma obtained for Mr. Owston 

 a specimen off Tago (on the western coast of the Prov. of Izu) 

 in Suruga Gulf near the 200 fathoms-line ; this specimen was 

 identified by me as belonging to the present species. 



I should put the bathymetrical range of E. imperialis as at 

 present known at 200-548 fms. (365-1002 ra.). It is evidently 

 an inhabitant of deeper waters than E. marshalli, which does not 

 occur at a greater depth than 160 fms. Besides, the nature of 

 the bottom differs with the two species, as is attested by the 

 matter interlocked in the basal tuft. While in the case of 

 E. imperialis this consists almost purely of volcanic mud or 

 sand of a gray color in the dried state, in the case of the other 

 species the included matter is invariably shelly. 



In the fresh state the color of the sponge is a pale yellow, 

 often appearing rather dirty, being soiled by the mire of the 

 bottom. To the same cause is to be ascribed the grayish color 

 assumed by some specimens on drying, which otherwise should 

 become perfectly colorless. Preserved in spirit the natural color 

 is dissolved away. 



General Characteks of Nearly or Quite Full- Grown 



Specimens. 



E. imperialis shows many points of close agreement with 

 E. aspergillwii in regard to external form and structure, indicating 



* I have not put down this line on the chart of PL XIV- It lies between the lines of 

 Iwado and Seugenzuka: Togeyama -o- the Village of Hishamon. 



