38G ^Ir. T. lliixirlu on Ijabaiia licniispli.Trica. 



As rognnls llie pivsi-iit cxampK', the only iiitorination i^ivcii 

 is that it was obtained by divinij:, <>rt' the ishmd ot" Cebu ; but 

 it is in a natural state, and lias not l)een tani])ercd with like 

 the British-Musouui specimen. 



In form it is like a small bird's nest the bottom of which 

 is flat, with a well-defined edge ; the sides are rounded ; and 

 the sponge attains its greatest diameter al)out one third of the 

 way down from the edge of the hollow of the nest, towards 

 the base. The entire surface, inside and outside (speaking as 

 of a nest), is a network of spicules : that of the sides of the nest, 

 being a close reticulation, is no doubt " pore-area ;" whilst that 

 of the hollow of the nest is a very much more open network, 

 and must be considered "vent-area," as has been slated 1)y 

 Mr. II. J. Carter in the ])aper to which I have already alluded. 

 The structure covered by the surface- reticulation, as seen through 

 this network, is a strongly woven-together mass of spicules, 

 pierced with large and small passages leading directly from 

 the outside to the inside. These passages or canals are largest 

 towards the base of the sponge, where they are ovate in form, 

 and measure in diameter half an inch by a quarter ; they gra- 

 dually diminish in calibre and lose their oval shape, becoming 

 circular towards the upper edge of the nest. The surface- 

 reticulation is closest round the edge of the hollow ; and 

 from this edge stands up a thin broken line of erect spi- 

 cules of irregular height, varying from :}- to f of an inch. 

 The rounded sides of the sponge, chiefly where it assumes 

 its greatest diameter, are furnished with whisker-like bundles 

 of long spicules, which issue from circular holes the edges 

 of which are slightly raised, each bundle consisting of a 

 dozen or more spicules, many of which are broken short off 

 and very few are entire. Around the circumference of the 

 base are arranged loose fascicles of anchoring-spicules from 

 3 to 4 inches in length and liaving a diameter of about ^ an 

 inch measuring along the edge of the base, by 4 to § of an 

 inch across it. A few scattered short sjjicules project here 

 and there from the base generally ; but there are no bundles 

 other than those around its edge ; and therefore the sponge is 

 without any thing like the " fraudulent tuft " stuck into the 

 Britisli-^Iuseum specimen, or occujn'ing its position. The 

 bundles of anchoring-spicules, whilst the s])onge was in a 

 living state, no doubt grew straight down from its base into 

 the bottom of the sea ; but they are now twisted under it, in 

 consequence of the sponge having been placed to dry in the 

 position in which it a])pears in the Plate. 



The anchoring-spicules are of one kind only, viz. smooth, 

 fusiform, terminating at the free end in two opposite hooks ; 



