THE SPONGES. 63 



at Station 3370. These probably also belong to Eurcte erectum, which is 

 obviously an abundant species in these waters. Schulze's specimens came 

 from the same general locality. They were taken in the neighborhood of 

 the Galapagos Islands, 0' 24' S., 89' 06' W., at a depth of 717 m. on a 

 sandy bottom. 



Eurete erectum tubuliferum, subsp. nov. 



Plate 7, Figs. 9, 13; Plate 8, Figs. 1-3, 6. 



Diagnosis. Sponge body differs from that of the type in that the axis is not dichoto- 

 mously prolonged into branches at its upper end. Dermal pinnies, gastral hexacts, 

 and gastral pentacts resemble those of the type. With onychasters. Characteristic 

 dermal scopulae are small forms with 3-4 distal rays, which are denticulate and which 

 terminate in small smooth heads. The gastral scopulae resemble those of the type, but 

 the distal rays are not covered with recurving spines, but are either smooth or minutely 

 denticulate. 



Station 3358, 3 specimens ; Station 3359, 7 specimens. 



As in the type there is a basal plate from which the slender hollow 

 axis arises, but the plate is not included in all of the specimens. The axis, 

 which at first is only about 7 mm. wide, gradually enlarges, becoming about 

 15 ram. wide, and soon acquires the spiral curvature characteristic of the 

 species (Fig. 1, Plate 8). In several of the specimens the upper end of 

 the sponge is preserved, and it may be seen that the axis is not dichoto- 

 mously prolonged into branches, as in the type, but remains single. 



The degree of development of the lateral branches varies considerably. 

 They may appear as simple cups with a slightly or considerably flaring 

 wall. This is especially the case on the lower part of the stem, and all of 

 the branches have this character on some of the fragments, which yet are 

 large. The cup wall is often broken off short. 



Very commonly, however, the branches are incompletely or completely 

 divided, but not more than once. Various stages in the division are 

 present. The opposite parts of the cup edge may simply project toward 

 one another, as in Schulze's figures of Farrca (1887, Plate LXXII. Fig. 3). 

 Or the growth may have continued until the opposite lips of the original 

 cup are apposed, as in Fig. 12, Plate 7, which represents in apical view 

 the upper end of the specimen shown in Fig. 1, Plate 8. With continued 

 growth the apposed edges coalesce, and we then have a branch which opens 

 to the exterior by two separate and distinct apertures. The shape of such 



