sponges from the Athintic Ocean. 407 



22, i) ; 2, tlic same but smaller, and for the most part centrally 

 intlated (H^. 22, A-), probably passings, when more developed, 

 into the ionner ; .'3, .stellitoiin, irroLCulariy rayed, or with elon- 

 gated axis and rays ehiefly developed at tiie ends bistellate- 

 like, ray.s linear (tig. 22, / /). The large triradiate and sub- 

 (juadriradiates, together with the aeerate skeleton-spicules 

 whieh are very long, arc confusedly arranged together through- 

 out the sponge, lying perhaps most horizontally on the surface, 

 while the tlesh-S})icules, imbedde(l in the sareode, make up the 

 rest of the mass, the larger mien)S|)ined riesh-sj)ieules being 

 chielly eontined to the interior, and the smaller ones to the 

 surface, while the stellates are dispersed generally and very 

 subordinate in number. Size of specimen about 1 inch long, 

 7-12ths inch broad, and /5-12ths inch in its vertical diameter. 



Hdh. Marine, on hard bodies. 



Loc. Atlantic Ocean, at station 24 = 202 fathoms, near Cape 

 St. Vincent. 



Ohi^. There is only one specimen of this sponge, wliicli is 

 contained in a jar labelled " 24, 292 fathoms," which station 

 will be found on the chart accompanying the report of the 

 cruise of the ' Porcupine' in 1870 (Roy. Soc. Proc. no. 125). 

 It is accompanied by small specimens of several other 

 sponges, viz. Ilistoderma ajipendiculatinn ^ Hyinedesmia John- 

 sfoni, Geodia, Tisiphonia, Tethipi cranium^ Pachastrella ahyssij 

 and a histodermal form of HaUchoudria jyani'ceaj together 

 with several rolled pieces of agglomerated spicules of various 

 sponges. 



There is a great resemblance between the spicules of this 

 sponge and those of Schmidt's SphinctreUa hon-tda, Atlant. 

 Spongicnf. p. 6o, Taf. vi. figs. 6 & 7 (that is, rather, to the 

 spicules in the slide of this sponge belonging to the British 

 Museum), but it differs much from Schmidt's illustration i\<^. 7, 

 in which there are distinct sphinctral areai of the dermal sar- 

 eode charged with stellates, while the larger linear skeleton- 

 spicules are obtusely pointed — which is (piite opposite to the 

 above description of Pachastrella ami/(/daluide.s, taken, too, from 

 a specimen unusually perfect. 



Pachastrella geodioidesj n. sp. (PI. XIV. fig. 23 (S:c.) 

 General form globular, a little wider at the base than at the 

 summit, sessile. Colour dark grey. Surface even, uniform, 

 slightly roughened by projecting spicules ; dermal sareode 

 charged confusedly with the s])iculcs of the species mixed with 

 minute foreign organisms of various kinds, directly continuous 

 with the internal structure that is not corticate. Pores in the 

 dermal structure, more or less indistinct. Vents small, scat- 



