66 



HALF AN HOUR WITH SPONGES. 



pink, or crimson, and is therefore a very beautiful 

 object. It only acquires a brownish colour, as all 

 Fig. 28. the sponges seem to do, 



when in the dry state. 

 In height this species is 

 seldom more than three 

 inches. Its appearance 

 i is often very variable, on 

 account of the great dif- 

 ference in its ramifica- 

 tion, the branches being 

 frequently much com- 

 pressed. As might be 

 expected, considering 

 what we know of the 

 warmer waters of the 

 Devonshire coasts, all the British sponges there met 

 with are larger than usual. Thus, in the neighbour- 

 hood of Torquay specimens of the ramosa have been 

 dredged as much as ten inches in height. When 

 dried, this sponge presents a very marked difference 

 from the CTialina, in that the spicules project 

 all over the surface (see illustration) so as to give 

 to it a hairy appearance. These spicules are 

 much of a similar character, but 'differ in size 

 from those of the Chalina, whilst there is an 

 absence of them altogether in the membrane. In 

 neither case are the spicules attractive as micro- 

 scopic objects. Lastly, we would draw attention to 

 a species which is quite as common as the Chalina 



Halichondria ramosa 



