SPOXGIIDA. 427 



acerate. Judging by the present specimens, A. fibulata wants also 

 the purple colour of Pkorbas, on which Mr. Carter lays so much 

 weight ; so that I see nothing but the general external form by 

 which to connect this species with Phorbas, and this cannot suffice 

 for a point of affinity in the Spongiida. 



62. Gelliodes fibulata. 

 (Plate XXXIX. fig. I ; Plate XLI. figs, bb-bb" '.) 



? Spongia rubispina, Lamarck, Ann. Mas. Hint. Xat. xx. p. 450. 

 ? A xos fibulata, Carter, Ann. cy May. X. H. 1881, vii. p. 383, pi. xviii. 

 fiff. 4. 





Long cylindrical stems, given off from a common base, but not 

 in a plane, irregularly curved, anastomosing at points of contact, 

 aculeated at intervals of about 2 to 5 millim. by strong but slender 

 sharp spines 2 to 3 millim. long ; intermediate surface more or less 

 cavernous, the spaces more or less tympanized by membrane which 

 is semitrausparentin spirit, transparent in the dried state. Skeleton- 

 fibre very compact, but exhibiting no horny material ; main fibres 

 going direct to surface, "18 to -28 millim. thick ; secondaries given 

 off at various angles from primaries and at intervals of -43 millim. 

 and upwards, -088 to *1S millim. thick. Sarcode transparent, with 

 only the faintest tint of yellow. .Spicules : — (1) Acerate, smooth, 

 tapering gradually to sharp points from near middle, slightly and 

 gradually curved ; size -25 by -0063 millim. ; forming the fibres. 

 (2) Bihamate, smooth, slender, with fine points, well curved; size 

 •016 by "001 millim. Texture of sponge in dry state firm, very 

 harsh to touch, slightly flexible : colour pale or darkish brown. 



Hub. Prince of "Wales Channel and Thursday Island, Torres 

 Straits, 3-10 fms. Abundant. 



Distribution. Bass's Straits ( Carter) ? 



Single branches attain a length of about 100 millim. (4 inches), 

 and the largest colony is 160 millim. (Of inches) high. The species 

 differs from Lamarck's description of S. rubispina in wanting the 

 white incrustation, and in not being branched in a fan-like manner; 

 it is doubtful what he means by an " encroiitement coriace." A 

 specimen in the Lamarckian collection named Spongia licheniformis 

 having apparently formed part of a turbinate or flattened mass, 

 even on one side and beset with low but sharp distant monticular 

 eminences on the other, has an almost identical spiculation, but the 

 fibres are less stout and are decidedly loose in their structure. It 

 seems to me that we have here a small natural assemblage of forms 

 representing a more primitive type of Desmacidinidoe than the forms 

 with anchorate spicules. 



AMPHILECTUS. 

 Vosmaer, Family Desmacidinidce, Notes Roy. Mus. Xetherl. ii. p. 109. 



Although this genus as defined by Vosmaer appears to have 



