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ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



INCEET^ SEDIS. 



15. NoN-Si'iruLATE SPONGES. — Pvvitous spots of indeterminate form, 

 and showing under the lens only an ol)seure u;ranular and flocculent ap- 

 jiearaneo are not infrequent on thesurfacesof the Metis shales. In addition 

 to these, however, there are two types of these objects of more definite 

 shape, either trianijuhir Avith a dark space in the centre oi' oval. The 

 former seem to ho flattened hollow cone.s, the latter possibly flattened 

 sacs. Some of the former show suiticient traces of spicules to connect them 

 with Protospomjia eyathiformis, while others may be entirely pyritized 

 individuals of P. dclicatula. In addition to these, however, there are 

 others which, under the lens and when moistened, show indications of 

 simple linear spicules, and more numerous examples which seem to be 

 composed of indeterminate and interlaced fibres reminding one of the 

 tissue of a corneous spont^e. None of them have any indications of 

 anchoring rods. For the present I merely mention them as possibly 

 indicating types of sponges distinct from any of those above described. 



1(). Spiculate sacs. — Imbedded in the debris of the larger specimens 

 of Hyalostelia, there ai-e oval flattened patches made up of a dense muss 

 of very small and apparently simple spicules, but presenting no aperture 

 or anchoring-rods. Having found them only in connection with Hyalo- 

 stelia, I at tirat imagined they might bo some form of ovarian body ; 

 but Dr. Hinde doubts this, and is inclined to regai'd them as distinct 

 organisms. One of them is represented in Fig. 30 of about the natuml 



Fi(i. 'M.—Spiculate sac, found 

 with Hyalosteha. 



size. If distinct sponges, there may have been some commensal relation 

 between them and Hyalostelia. They are quite distinct from the little 

 masses of broken spicules referj-ed to above in Section IV. 



17. MiNDTE Globular or Circular Bodies. 



Surfaces of an inch or more in diameter are occasionally stippled 

 with minute pjn-itous spots ; when magnified these appear perfectly round 

 and of approximately uniform dimensions. They may either be inor- 



