'7^ 



Vida] bearing N.N.E. ^ N., distant 9A miles), depth, 80-100 

 fathoms ; bottom, rock. 



The type specimen has evidently been cut in half, one piece 

 only having been sent to the British Museum. 



The cup, which is shallow and expanded, is about 7 cm. in 

 diameter, at the mouth, with an inside depth of 3 cm., and a 

 height of 6 cm., the wall being i cm. thick. 



The second specimen, which I at first thouglit to belong to a 

 different species, is also only a half specimen ; the shape is 

 rather that of a vase or funnel than a cup, the height being 

 5 cm., diameter of mouth 7 cm., depth of cavity 4*25 cm., and 

 thickness of wall 6 cm. The walls of the second specimen are 

 flexible, and resemble dark sandstone in appearance ; the whole 

 ectosomal surface has been worn away, leaving only the 

 framework of desmas ; the spicules (desmas, styles, microxea) 

 resemble those of the type specimen, but the microstrongyles 

 (Fig. 3d) vary slightly, being for the most part cylindrical rather 

 than fusiform. Interspersed through the skeletal framework is 

 a new species of Triptolciniis, which is described at the end of 

 this paper. 



The new species is most nearly related to Discodcniiia disci- 

 furca Sollas from Port Jackson ; the slender, straight, smooth 

 microxeas of the former differ markedly from the thicker,, 

 curved granular microxeas of the latter species. Further, the 

 small tyles scattered in some abundance in the tissues of D. 

 natalensis form a distinctive feature. 



Family ScleritodermidaB. 



Microscleroderma, ucn. ii»v. 



Scleritodermidae in which the ectosomal spicules are minute 

 sigmaspires. 



Microsleroderma hirsutum, sp. n. 



Sponge cup-shaped, expanding from a sh(jrt massive pedicel* 

 Inner surface uniformly covered with slightly raised oscules 

 i'2 mm. in diameter, and smooth between the oscules. Outer 

 surface pilose and corrugated, the thick rounded rugcC running 

 from base to edge and branching more or less dichotomouslv ; 

 pores, about "25 mm._ in diameter, distributed over extensive 

 cribriform areas in the fossa:? and valleys between the rug^e. 

 Edge of cup thick and rounded. Colour of dried specimens 

 pale brown ; white in section. 



Skeleton formed of monocrepid desmas united into a regular 

 honeycomb-like framework, with oval smooth-edged fenestras 



