and Acapulco Sponges. 271 



from a contracted base of attachment terminating in a di- 

 minished round point, swelling out slightly between ; uniting 

 with each other where in contact, and with all other kinds of 

 objects in their course. Texture resilient. Colour light 

 pinkish brown. Surface even or subpenicillate. A'^ents 

 round, numerous, situated linearly or flute-like in two rows on 

 opposite sides of the stem, or more or less irregularly scattered 

 over it. Structure essentially fibrous ; fibre simple, rather 

 flaccid, with indistinct granular axis, reticulated, diminishing 

 in size upwards and outwards from the centre to the circum- 

 ference, where it is gathered together into subpenicillate 

 projecting knots ; void of foreign bodies throughout. Size of 

 longest stalks, of which there are many, about 1 foot long and 

 5 to 1 inch in diameter. 



Hab. Marine. Growing upon hard objects, often in con- 

 junction with Polytherses and Lajfaria cauUformis. 



Loc. Nassau. 



Ohs, The absence of foreign bodies in the fibre, flaccid 

 character, and brownish-pink colour, so far unite this sponge 

 to A. carnosa^ Sdt., and A. corneostellata^ Carter, that, how- 

 ever dift'erent it may be in other respects, these kinds of 

 Aphjsince appear to be its nearest allies ; for, although the 

 subpenicillate knot-like terminations of the fibre on the sur- 

 face are without the " hair-like filament " of A. carnosa &c., 

 still they are a nearer approach to it than those of the Luffii- 

 rian species last described, where there are none. AjyJysina 

 cauUformis appears to be the same as Callyspongia ienerrima, 

 de ¥. et M. (p. 57, pi. x. fig. 3). 



ApJi/sina loiifjissima, n. sp. 



Whip-like, cauliform, cylindrical, round, solid, long; 

 simple or branched scantily and irregularly ; erect, rising from 

 an expanded incrusting base, diminishing gradually to a 

 round point. Very rigid and resilient. Colourless or grey. 

 Surface uniformly even towards the free extremity or youngest 

 part, becoming covered with star-like knots of the fibre, in- 

 creasing in size and prominence towards the base, where this 

 structure is strikingly beautiful. Vents large, round, and 

 scattered over the expanded base, becoming less evident up- 

 wards. Structure essentially fibrous ; fibre simple, rigid, 

 stiff", with indistinct granular axis, reticulated, diminishing 

 in size upwards and outwards from the centre to the circum- 

 ference, where it is gathered together in the star-like knots 

 mentioned ; void of foreign bodies throughout. Size of 

 largest specimen 27 inches long by half an inch in diameter: 

 expanded or incrusting base about 2 inches square. 



