and Acapulco Sponges. 349 



inchiding such as have been found by others to present the 

 spinispirula or any other form of Hesh-spicule ; in doing which, 

 it will be best to divide them into the three groups mentioned 

 in my Classification, viz. the Cavernosa, Compacta, and Laxa, 

 typified respectively by 7^7ia2:>7i?/r?<.9 Grijjitlisiij JMs..,= Clio na 

 celata, Johnst. (the free form of an excavating sponge !), 

 Suberites do77iuncula, S(\t.j = Halichondria suberea, Johnst., 

 and Cliona coralUnoides, Hancock. But to this I must now 

 add a fourth group under the name of '' Subcompacta," typi- 

 fied by Suberites massa^ Sdt,, because I find that it will be 

 more convenient to limit the " Compacta " to the strictly 

 compact forms, to keep the " Laxa " chiefly to the excava- 

 ting Suberites, and to make the " Subcompacta " a group 

 between the " Cavernosa " and " Compacta," since the 

 coarser cellular structure of Rhapkyrus Griffitlisii, Rhaphio- 

 phora patera (Neptune's cup), &c., which mostly have a grey 

 or brown colour, cannot be so advantageously classed with 

 the less coarse ones, which are chiefly of an ochraceous-yellow 

 colour — all, however, having, like the " Cavernosa," that con- 

 densed structure on the surface which seems to have led 

 Schmidt to place his Spirastrella cunctatrix among his " Cor- 

 ticate " (" Rindschwamme," Spong. Kiiste v. Algier, 1868, 



In giving this indication of the Suberites that I have exa- 

 mined (of course, all in the dried state) to see if they contain 

 any flesh- spicule, it will also be desirable not only to catalogue 

 them as above mentioned, but, in each group, to divide 

 those which do not from those which do possess a flesh- 

 spicule. Again, as the form of the spinispirula differs in 

 diff'erent species, it will be desirable to add some note of this, 

 in which the largest size is given respectively, remembering 

 that they will be found in each instance in a fragmentary or 

 less perfect state in all sizes below this. Lastly, as I sliall 

 have to introduce some hitherto undescribed species, it will be 

 necessary, where possible, not only to name but to briefly 

 characterize some of them at the same time. 



List of Suberites with and toithout the jiesh-spicule. 



Cavernosa. 



Without flesh-spicule. 

 Rhaphyrus Griffithsii^ Bk., = free form of Cliona celata. 

 Rhopliiophora patera, Gray (Neptune's cup). 



