knoion Species of Spongilla. 99 



1. Parmula Batesii. 

 (PI. V. fig. 1, a-i, and fig. 2, a-c, also PI. VI. fig. 15.) 



Spongilla Batesii, Bk., No. 20, p. 21, pi, xxxviii. fig. 12. 



More or less globular when growing round the small im- 

 mersed branches of trees one inch or more in thickness. Struc- 

 ture coarsely reticulate, extremely hard and rigid, rising into 

 thorn-like processes on the surface. Colour light sea-green. 

 Skeleton- spicule curved, fusiform, abruptly sharp-pointed, 

 smooth (PL VI. fig. 15), forming, when bundled together with 

 the hard transparent sarcode, the rigid structure above men- 

 tioned, charged throughout with statoblasts. Statoblast large, 

 globular, more or less uniformly tuberculated (PI. V. fig. 1) . 

 Aperture infundibular (fig. 1, A) . Crust very thick, composed 

 of granular microcell-structure of a white colour, which, grow- 

 ing out through the interstices of the reticular arrangement of 

 skeleton-spicules, reduced in size, which form a capsular 

 covering to the statoblast, gives it the tuberculated cha- 

 racter mentioned (fig. 1, c?), charged with and surrounded by 

 minute, thin, curved, fusiform, gradually sharp-pointed, 

 spinous acerates irregularly dispersed throughout its substance 

 (fig. 1, g, and 2, c?), limited, both inside and outside, by a layer 

 of parmuliform spicules, the former in contact with the chitinous 

 coat (fig. 1, e), and the latter on the free surface of the crust, 

 giving it a light brown colour (fig. 1,/) . Parmuliform spicule 

 circular, flat, infundibuliform, terminating in a point, like a 

 little round shield turned up at the margin, which is even 

 (fig. 2, J, c) , arranged both internally and externally in juxta- 

 position, more or less overlapping each other, with the funnel- 

 shaped process outwards in both instances, so that the surface 

 of the crust is covered with little points (fig. 1,/). 



Loc. River Amazons. 



Ohs. The double layer of statoblast-spicules, viz. one on 

 the inner and the other on the outer side of the crust, is seen 

 also in Spongilla nitens. 



2. Parmula Brownii. 



Sponffilla Brovmii, Bk., No. 20, p. 19, pi. xxxviii. fig. 11. 



Globular, four or more inches in diameter, appended to a 

 small twig rather than embracing it. Structure and colour 

 the same as in the foregoing species. Skeleton-spicules the 

 same, but diminished to half their size round the statoblasts, 

 to which they afford a distinct capsule. Statoblast globular ; 

 aperture slightly infundibular ; crust thin, composed of micro- 

 scopically minute spherical cells, irregularly agglomerated 

 together, so as to produce small lacinuliform processes, which 



