Classification of the SjJongida. 137 



Group 4. Callhistia. 



Sarcode brown (and other colours?). Skeleton composed 

 of a uniform reticulation of horny anastomosing transparent 

 fibre of an amber-colour, cored more or less with minute foreign 

 objects. Fibre of two kinds — viz. vertical or large, and hori- 

 zontal or small ; the former terminating on the surface in more 

 or less prominent aculeations, cored with minute foreign objects, 

 while the horizontal for the most part is without them. Struc- 

 ture vertical or radiating. Texture fine, elastic, uniform (in 

 this respect the skeleton of these sponges surpasses all others 

 in beauty and regularity, hence their designation). Forms 

 massive lobed, or hollow funnel- or vase-shaped, or massive 

 flattened simply or in branches. 



Group 5. Penicillata. 



Sarcode dark brown externally, pale amber within. Skeleton 

 composed of a reticulation of more or less rigid, horny, anas- 

 tomosing transparent fibre of a light or deep amber-colour, 

 cored more or less with minute foreign bodies. Fibre of two 

 kinds — viz. vertical or large, and horizontal or small ; the former 

 terminating on the surface in large, prominent, penicillate acu- 

 leations. Structure vertical or radiating. Texture more or 

 less rigid, coarse and open. Forms massive, simple or lobed, 

 or flattened and lobed. 



Group 6. Rigida. 



Sarcode ? (absent)*. Skeleton composed of a reticulation of 

 coarse, thick, rigid, horny, anastomosing translucent wiry fibre 

 of a dark amber-colour, more or less cored with minute foreign 

 objects. Fibre of two kinds — viz. vertical or large, and hori- 

 zontal or small ; the latter ladder-like. Surface ? (too much 

 worn away for description). Structure vertical or radiating. 

 Texture wiry, reticulate, open. Forms hollow, vase-like. 



Group 7. Subrigida. 



Sarcode ? (absent.) Skeleton much the same as the last ; 

 but fibre less coarse and more resilient, of two kinds — viz. verti- 

 cal or large, and horizontal or small — more or less cored with 

 foreign objects. Surface ? (too much worn away for descrip- 

 tion.) Structure vertical, radiating plumose. Texture fine, 

 open, resilient, wiry. Forms hollow, with short, hollow, coni- 

 cal tubular branches like buds or offshoots. 



* Where there is " ? " or the word " absent " it means that the British- 

 Museum specimens, from which this classification has chiefly been made, 

 are deficient. Nearly all the specimens are dry ; so that where the sarcode 

 is present it is for the most part described under this aspect. 



