SPONGES. 195 



the vents fewer and somewhat larger (with a tendency to occupy separate prominences 

 of the margin), and the spicules somewhat stouter. 



In the arrangement of the vents, this typical form of the species resembles 

 Phakellia tumida, from Australia (10), but the genus Phakellia, if retained, should 

 probably be restricted to species with the vents arranged on one or both of the flat 

 surfaces of the lamella. It differs from my "Auletta awvuntiaca" in the more slender 

 form of the spicules, as well as in the distinctly flabellate character of the sponge, which 

 may be regarded as formed from a number of Auletta tubes fused together side by side. 



R.N. 174; 345 (Stat. LXVIIL, Gulf of Manaar, 10 fathoms). 



Auletta lyrata, var. glomerata, nov. 



In this variety the sponge consists of an irregular agglomeration of short, finger- 

 like processes, more or less united together laterally, and each containing a longi- 

 tudinal oscular tube terminating at the apex of the process in a sphinctrate vent. In 

 other respects, including spiculation, this variety resembles the preceding, and the 

 whole mass is attached to the substratum by a short stalk. 



This variety makes a near approach to THIELE'S Auletta halichondrioides, from 

 Japan (39), while in external form it closely resembles fig. 3 of ESPER'S Plate 67. 



R.N. 170 (pearl banks off Aripu); 194 (south of Dutch Modragam Paar) ; 303. 



Auletta lyrata, var. crassispiculata, nov. 



I propose this name for three irregularly branched, loosely bushy specimens, 

 characterised mainly by the large size of the spicules, which, however, vary so much 

 that it is almost impossible to express the difference by measurements. The tubular 

 branches of which the sponge is composed are short and rather slender. 



R.N. 43, 60 (both from Gulf of Manaar) ; 161 (deep water off Galle and onwards 

 up West Coast). 



Auletta lyrata, var. brevispiculata, nov. 



This variety is represented in the collection by one very fine specimen of much 

 larger size than usual and consisting of a great mass of branching and anastomosing 

 tubes, each ending in a sphinctrate vent now more or less completely closed by the 

 membranous sphincter. The whole mass is attached to a very short, stout stem, 

 and the shape and size of the individual branches do not differ from those of the 

 specimens of " Auletta aurantiaca " originally described by me. The total height of 

 the specimen, however, is 122 millims., and the greatest breadth about 73 millims. 

 The branching is very irregular. 



The spicules commonly measure about 0'35 millim. by 0'0164 millim. 



RN. 45 (Gulf of Manaar). 



Auletta elongata, n. sp. Plate XIII. , fig. 7. 



The type .specimen (R.N. 73) consists of a bunch of seven elongated, sub-cylindrical 

 tubes, brandling out from each other and from the short, thick stem by which they 



2 c 2 



