318 Mr. H. J. Carter on DeejJ-sea 



acerates, that, when separate, often present the tricurvate 

 undulation. The entire specimen, which is not more than 

 5-24ths inch long by 2-24ths inch liigh, is situated in a small 

 surface-depression of a large dried fragment of Pachas trella 

 abi/ssi, about 3 inches square and 2 inches thick ; hence it 

 now presents no appreciable amount of sarcode ; but from 

 its striking appearance I have thought it worth illustrating, 

 although, after all, it may be a surface portion of an Esperia 

 which grows much larger and ultimately assumes a totally 

 ditferent aspect. No label being on the specimen of Pachas- 

 trclla, I conclude that it came from station 25, near Cape St. 

 Vincent, since other like specimens of the same kind of Pachas- 

 trella in a wet state are in the jar bearing on its label " 374 " 

 fathoms. 



Esjyeria cupressiformis, var. hihamatifera, n. sp. 

 (PL XIII. fig. 14, and PI. XV. fig. 34, a, b.) 



Of this sponge there is only a fragment, viz. about -^-^ inch 

 of the head or free end, with no label on the jar, where it 

 is in company with several specimens oi Esperia cupressiformis 

 ('Annals,' 1874, vol. xiv. p. 215, pi. xiv. fig. 16, &c.), and also 

 a portion of the stem of another specimen covered with Cor- 

 ticium jmrasiticiim, together with several specimens of Polr/- 

 mastia ornata, Bk. No difterence can be seen between it and 

 E. cupressiformis until examined microscopicall}', when the 

 presence of a large z'nequianchorateof a peculiar shape (PI. XIII. 

 fig. 14, a), and an abundance of small bihamates or fibulse 

 (fig. 14, c), together with the absence of the forceps-tricm'vate, 

 points out that it must be made a variety of E. cupressiformis ; 

 and thus it has been designated '' bihamatiferaJ^ Spicules 

 of two kinds, viz. skeleton- and flesh-spicules. Skeleton- 

 spicule of one form only, viz. acuate or subcapitate, smooth, 

 fusiform, abniptly pointed, larger and less capitate in the stem 

 than in the branchlets, 195-6000ths inch in the stem (PI. XV. 

 fig. 34, a), 133-6000tlis inch long in the branchlet. Flesh- 

 spicules of three forms, viz. two inequianchorates, small 

 and large, and one bihamate. Small inequianchorate the 

 same as that of E. cujiressifortnis (PI. XIII. tig. 14, b) ; large 

 inequianchorate of the common form, but rounded at the 

 small end, ll-6000ths inch long (fig. 14, a) ; bihamate simple, 

 4-6000ths inch long (fig. 14, c). It is not improbable, from 

 the presence of Corticium parasiticum on the portion of the 

 stem of this species, that the whole of the contents of this jar 

 came from the "chops" of the English Channel (see Corticium 

 parasiticum^ antea). 



