296 Mr. T. Higgin on some Caribbean Sponges. 



have ovate not subterminally inflated heads, and they are not 

 much more than half the size of those in the specimen found 

 in connexion with Higginsia corallotdesy as I learn from a 

 mounted fragment of the former kindly sent to me by Mr. 

 Carter for comparison. 



When looking for this sponge, small portions of another 

 interesting species were found on the nullipore, to which some 

 allusion has already been made by Mr. Carter in his observa- 

 tions on Hymerapki'a microcionides (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 1876, vol. xviii. p. 391). It has been seen only in very 

 small quantity; but its remarkable spiculation renders a passing 

 notice of it desirable. It is laminiform in growth, the thin 

 sarcodous layer being full of spined quadriradiate spicules 

 (fig. 9) closely packed together, amongst which are based long 

 acuates erect, making the surface hirsute ; no flesh-spicules. 

 With it was seen a fragment of a variety of Dercitus niger, 

 which Mr. Carter has also observed as often found in com- 

 pany with a boring Cb'ona (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1876, 

 vol. xviii. p. 410). His valuable guidance, too, in distin- 

 guishing species of obscure forms (communicated in his obser- 

 vations on the sponges dredged up on board H.M.S. ' Porcu- 

 pine ') having rendered the reading of the spiculation of genera 

 so much more easy and plain than formerly, and also having 

 so much facilitated the separation of different species found 

 growing together, I have no doubt that Mr. Carter is right in 

 regarding this sponge as a species of Hymeraphia with some 

 characteristics of Microciona. 



Halichondria birotidata, n. sp. (PI. XIV. figs. 11-15.) 



In the October issue of the 'Annals' (1876, ser. 4, vol. xviii. 

 p. 315) Mr. Carter records some additional observations on 

 the flesh-spicules of Halichondria abyssi^ and refers to a 

 sponge from the West Indies, of which several good examples 

 now exist in the Liverpool Museum, about to be described 

 under the specific name hirotulata. The specimens thus 

 alluded to form part of the '■ Argo ' collection. 



Soon after the publication of Mr. Carter's description of H. 

 abyssi (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1874, vol. xiv. p. 245) some 

 fragmentary portions of a branched littoral sponge of a dark 

 brown-purple colour were brought from Jamaica by Capt. J. 

 A. Perry, apparently very nearly allied to Mr. Carter's deep- 

 sea species ; and being new, efforts were made (unattended, 

 however, with any success) to obtain whole specimens from 

 that locality, the only example known being a very fine one 

 in the possession of Dr. Allen of that island, from which the 

 fragments of branches mentioned had been obtained. In the 



