and Acapulco Sponges. 351 



Suherites, ? sp. Undescribed. Mauritius. Character. Mas- 

 sive, growing- into short branches on the surface ; colour ochre- 

 yellow. In my cabinet. 



- Suherues,?S]). Undescribed. Character. Massive, growing 

 into short branches ; colour ochre-yellow. Coast of Por- 

 tugal. Kent collection, British Museum, no. 4, Size 3 x 4 x 

 1^ inches. 



Suherites massa, Sdt. Character. Massive, sub-branched ; 

 colour ochre-yellow. Adriatic. Type specimen in British 

 Museum. 



N.B. The last three species will probably be found to be 

 the same. 



Suherttes, ? sp. Character. Massive, growing among and 

 enclosing shell-detritus; colour ochre-yellow. Tucacas, in 

 " small lagoon." Expedition of the ' Argo.' 



Ohs. The habit of enclosing fragments of hard calcareous 

 objects, which finally disappear among the substance, is very 

 common among the Suberites, giving them a gritty character ; 

 but whether this be for the organic or mineral matter^ or both, 

 that they contain, I am not able to say ; it may be for tlie 

 carbonic acid with the lime ; but be this as it may, Suberites 

 domuncula is often found under a shell-like form, having thus 

 destroyed the shell itself on which it grew, while the destruc- 

 tion of shell-tissue by the burrowing (excavating) sponges is 

 notorious. 



With flesh-spicule. 



SptrastreUa cunctatrix, Sdt. 1, Algiers, " im frischen Zu- 

 stande wahrscheinlich violet oder roth." 2, Mauritius, 

 ? violet or purple washed out. Bowerbank collection, British 

 Museum, o, Australia ; colour the same ; specimen rounded by 

 attrition; surface rough, tuberculate ; size 6x4x2 inches. 

 Bowerbank collection, British Museum. Spinispirula very 

 stout, the largest and most perfect about ] 0-6000ths inch long. 



Spirastrella cunctatriw, variety. Mauritius. On a little 

 crab's back about half an inch in horizontal diameter. Liver- 

 pool Free Museum. Character. Amorphous ; colour white. 

 Spinispirula very short and thick, composed of two bends 11 

 by 9-6000ths inch in its greatest dimensions (including the 

 spines). This appears to be a monstrous "variety" on ac- 

 count of the number of grotesque forms assumed by the 

 skeletal spicule in which the spinispirula appears to take part. 



SuberiteSj ?si^. Undescribed. Character. A group of ob- 

 couical tubes united at the base,, presenting a warty or tuber- 



