296 ^Ir. T. m<rgin on some Caribbean Sjyonges. 



have ovate not suLterniinally intiated heads, and they are not 

 much more than half the size of those in the specimen found 

 in connexion with Higginsia coralloides^ as I learn from a 

 mounted fragment of the former kindly sent to me by Mr. 

 Carter for comparison. 



AVlien looking for this sponge, small ])ortions of another 

 interesting species were found on the nullipore, to which some 

 allusion has already been made by Mr. Carter in his observa- 

 tions on llymerapMa microcionides (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 187G, vol. xviii. p. 391). It has been seen only in very 

 small quantity; but its remarkable spiculation renders a passing- 

 notice of it desirable. It is laminiform in growth, the thin 

 sarcodous layer being full of spined quadriradiate spicules 

 (fig. 9) closely packed together, amongst which are based long 

 acuates erect, making the surface hirsute ; no flesh-spicules. 

 With it was seen a fragment of a variety of DerciUis niger^ 

 wdiich Mr. Carter has also observed as often found in com- 

 pany with a boring Cliona (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1876, 

 vol. xviii. p. 410). His valuable guidance, too, in distin- 

 guishing species of obscure forms (communicated in his obser- 

 vations on the sponges dredged up on board H.M.S. ' Porcu- 

 pine ') having rendered the reading of the spiculation of genera 

 so much more easy and plain than formerly, and also having 

 so much facilitated the separation of different species found 

 growing together, I have no doubt that Mr. Carter is right in 

 regarding this sponge as a species of Hymeraphia with some 

 characteristics of Microciona. 



Halichondria hirotidafa, n. sp. (PI. XIV. figs. 11-15.) 



In the October issue of the 'Annals' (1876, ser. 4, vol. xviii. 

 p. 315) Mr. Carter records some additional observations on 

 the flesh-spicules of Halichondria ahyssi, and refers to a 

 sponge from the West Indies, of which several good examples 

 now exist in the Livei-jjool ]\Iuseura, about to be described 

 under the specific name hirotulata. The specimens thus 

 alluded to form part of the '■ Argo ' collection. 



Soon after the publication of Mr. Carter's description of H. 

 abyssi (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1874, vol. xiv. p. 245) some 

 fragmentary portions of a branched littoral sponge of a dark 

 brown-purple colour were brought fi'om Jamaica by Capt. J. 

 A. Perry, apparently very nearly allied to Mr. Carter's deep- 

 sea species ; and being new, efforts were made (unattended, 

 however, with any success) to obtain whole specimens from 

 that locality, the only example known being a very fine one 

 in the possession of Dr. Allen of that island, from which the 

 fragments of branches mentioned had been obtained. In the 



