of ilie National Antarctic Ed'pedition. 283 



species the radiate bundles brancli in a fan-like manner, 

 finally forming an almost uniform surface layer of vertical 

 oxeas. The microscleres in D. (?) ramosa are isoclielce 

 arcuatse. 



Locality. Coulman L, 100 fatli. 



Desmacidon spinigera, sp. n. 

 Sponge digitiform or knob-like ; surface coarsely spinous. 

 Consistence rather hard. Colour pale red. Several small 

 oscules about 2 ram. in diameter. 



Dermal membrane spread like a delicate net between the 

 spines, and at some distance from the floors of the subdermal 

 spaces. Flagellated chambers oval, 46 x 32 fx. 



Skeleton formed of coarse, longitudinal main strands, 

 about 180 iM thick, radiating out to the surface, with loose 

 scattered spicules between, united in horizontal bundles only 

 beneath the surface. 



Spicules. — Megascleres : oxeas, 731 x 26//-, curved at centre, 

 mostly subtornote, though some attenuate gradually, with 

 sharp pointed ends. 



Microscleres of one kind^ viz. isochelfe palmatse, 24'64//, 

 long and 5'28 [m broad, on side view ; pointed at each end, 

 with straight axis ; with palmate teeth 8"8 //. long, and with 

 narrow alse 8*8 [x long. 



Four specimens were obtained. The type specimen from 

 No. 10 hole, 130 fath., is digitate, 7'5 cm. in length and 2 cm. 

 in diameter. The spines are •2-*5 cm. long, those at the 

 lower end pointing obliquely upwards, but above becoming- 

 vertical to the long axis. 



This species bears much resemblance io Desmacidon setifei'j 

 Topsent, obtained by the ' Belgica ' from the Atlantic. The 

 isochelai are of much the same character, but those of 

 D. setifer are very much larger, viz. 75-100 /i by 18-20//.. 

 Further, the consistence of the latter is soft, the colour 

 yellowish in spirit, and the surface hispidation much finer. 



Localities. Winter Quarters, 20-130 fath. ; Coulman I., 

 100 fath. 



Joyeuxia Belli *, sp. n. 

 Sponge attached, ovoid, with a thick rind enclosing a soft 

 pulp ; with short conical osular, and long trumpet-shaped 

 poral papillffi. Surface finely pilose. Colour of surface 

 yellow, of the rind whitish, and of the pith deep yellow. 



* Named in honour of Emeritus Professor F. J. Bell, of the Zoological 

 Depavtment of the Natural History Museum, and editor of the " Reports 

 on the Natural History Collections " brought home by the ' Discovery ' 

 from the Antarctic. 



11;* 



