On ne^o Reptiles and Batrachians from New Guinea. 343 



constant until the 1st February. On this and the following 

 day the window of the room was left open at night, the tem- 

 perature of the water had fallen in the morning nearly to 

 32° F., and the two oscular tubes had completely disappeared 

 on the morning of the third day. But within a day, tlie 

 window having been again closed, the oscula reappeared at 

 the same place and again showed the same size. Besides 

 tliese the sponge has now a tliird excurrent orifice. This 

 Spongilla has also become smaller since it was brought from 

 Tegel ; it measured originally 10 centim. in length and 

 nearly 5 millim. in the thickness of its crust; its length is 

 now only 9 centim., with a thickness of 2^ millim. At one 

 place the spicular web, deprived of its soft parts, lies upon the 

 parenchyma of the sponge ; on all the rest of the surface we 

 can indeed with the lens see the points of the spicules pro- 

 jecting, but almost everywhere the outer membrane may be 

 seen closely applied to the sponge. In other respects the 

 Spongilla presents a perfectly fresh appearance and emits 

 from all the tlux'e oscular apertures a quick current of water. 

 Upon the alteration of the soft-body of Ephydatia Jluviatilis 

 after the time of reproduction and until its recurrence in the 

 following year I shall report in another place. Only this 

 may be stated, that, in opposition to the statements of Lieber- 

 kiihn and Metschnikoff, neither the dermis nor the excurrent 

 tubes, nor the flagellate chambers and canals, completely dis- 

 appear in the perennial sponges of the Tegelsee. 



From this experiment in keeping alive a decidedly female 

 Spongilla for nearly four months after the issue of the last 

 larva it certainly follows that the notion of Laurent and 

 Gotte as to the death of the Spongillm in consequence of 

 sexual reproduction is not correct in all cases. On the other 

 hand, 1 agree perfectly with Gotte that in Ephydatia jluvia- 

 tilis "there can be no question of a decided seasonal difference, 

 or of a true alternation of generations," such as occurs, 

 according to Marshall, in Spongilla lacustris. 



XLII. — Descriptions of new JReptiles and Batrachians obtained 

 hy Mr. H. 0. Forbes in New Guinea. By G. A. 

 BOULENGER. 



Lygosoma Forbesii. 

 Section liomohpida. Body rather elongate, limbs short; 



