300 
Mr. H. J. Carter’s Contributions 
and together with its erect growth, remarkably large 
globo-stellate spicules, and rich dark brown colour are its 
distinguishing characters. The specimens from which my 
description is taken, now in the possession of the British 
Museum, were presented to the late Dr. Bowerbank by Dr. 
Ayres, and bear my running no. 701. According to Dr. F. E. 
Schulze’s arrangement (Zeitschriftf.wiss.Zool. 1870, Bd.xxix. 
p. 37, Separat-Abdruck), Chondrilla sacciformis , from pos¬ 
sessing a cortex, would be one of his family “ Chondrosiadse.” 
His recension of the species generally I commend to the 
student’s notice, as well as all Dr. Schulze’s papers on the 
Spongiadai (op. cit .), as affording, so far as they go, some of the 
most valuable information that has ever been communicated 
on the recent sponges. 
Schmidt has described and illustrated a sponge under the 
name of Chondrilla phyllodes (Grundz. Spongienf. atlantisch. 
Geb. 1870, p. 26, Taf. vi. fig. 1), with pin-like skeleton and 
spinispirular flesh-spicule, possessing a u violet-brown colour.” 
A similar sponge occurs at the Mauritius, which, possessing 
none of the characters of a Gummina, I have set down as a 
Suberite—that is, belonging to the family Suberitida in my 
order Holorhaphidota. No doubt there are many species 
among these Suberitida which come very near to those that 
undoubtedly belong to the Gumminida in the order Carnosa, 
e. g. Donatia lyncurium &c. The preceding species, viz. 
Latruncula corticata , would, if the chondroid consistence 
were to be considered the distinguishing character of the Gum¬ 
minida, be made one, like Chondrilla phyllodes. 
The application of the term 11 spicule ” to the globo-stellate 
seems ill adapted ,* but u body,” which has often been used, 
is worse, as it conveys no idea of the nature of the object; 
while the term 11 spicule,” if, apart from its derivation, 
applied to the siliceous elements of a sponge which have a 
definite form, whatever it may be, is readily understood. 
Otherwise a u globo-stellate spicule ” would be as unintelli¬ 
gible as a 11 round square.” 
Rhaphidhistia spectabilis , n. sp. 
(PI. NXVI. figs. 10, 13, and 14.) 
Lamelliform, extremely thin, sessile, taking the shape of 
the surface over which it may have grown, like a wet veil 
(PI. XXVI. figs. 10, 10). Colour now whitish yellow. 
Texture delicate. Surface even, puckered here and there into 
little monticular projections (fig. 10, a), which appear to have 
been surmounted by the vents, otherwise (together with the 
pores) not recognizable. Internal structure loose, consisting 
