256 



3-4 mm. high, arranged in spiral lines, with grooves 3 mm, 

 wide between the lines. Oscules, numerous, about 2-2.5 mm. 

 in diameter, opening obliquely in the grooves. Pore areas, 

 .5 mm. in diameter in the meshes of a dermal reticulum. Main 

 fascicles of skeleton, 1-1.5 mm. in diameter ; diameter of 

 separate fibres 35 fx, a second more slender kind being 

 only 13 ^l. 



Locality D. — Cape Vidal, Natal, 80-100 fathoms ; bottom, 

 rock. 



The species is probably new, its chief characters being the 

 spiral grooves containing the many small oscules. 



The pyriform varieties of S. australis, Lendenfeld, differ from 

 the present form in having a single large osculum. 



The specimen is 8 cm. high, and 5 cm. broad at the 

 broadest part. 



In the hope that more specimens will be obtained, I have not 

 given a name to the species. 



Genus Hircinia (Nardo). 



Hicinia arenosa (Lendenfeld). 



1889. Hircinia arenosa, Lendenfeld [11, p. 583, pi. xxxvi. fig. 3]. 



There are two specimens of this species, one being small and 

 cup-shaped, the other forming a large saddle-shaped mass 

 20 cm. in height, 19 cm. in width, and varying from 4 to 7 cm. 

 in thickness. The pore areas are on the under or outer, and 

 the small circular oscules on the upper or inner surface. 

 Colour, brownish pink. 



The skeleton is formed of a central layer giving off on each 

 side parallel main fibres running obliquely to the surface ; the 

 secondary fibres form a double row of narrow elongated meshes 

 between the main fibres. The main fibres are cored with large 

 sand grains, the secondary fibres being free of foreign particles, 

 excepting that one sand particle is situated at each central node 

 of the secondary meshes. 



The filaments are 6 /x broad, the oval heads being 16.5 long 

 by II /i broad. The ciliated chambers are 27 /u in diameter, 

 and nearly spherical. 



Locality A. — East London coast, 85 fathoms. 



Distribution. — W., S., and E. coasts of Australia ; South 

 Africa. 



Hircinia arbuseula (Lendenfeld) [11, p. 571]. 

 Plate VI., Fig. 20, 2oa, b, and Plate VII., Fig. 20. 



There are eight specimens of this species. The colour in 

 spirit is yellow, and the consistence firm but Compressible ; in 



