120 Mr. H. J. Carter on new Sponges. 
the “‘ coarsely reticulated ” structure at the ends of the tubular 
appendages serves the purpose of a distinct vent, especially as 
no others have been observed; but how Dr. Bowerbank could 
ally this to the open cloacal vents at the ends of the lobes in 
Desmacidon fruticosa, | am unable to conceive (B. S. vol. in. 
. 160). 
. It ue hardly to be expected that the hitherto best of all 
spongologists, viz. Dr. Oscar Schmidt, should, during his 
great experience, have failed to meet with some of the Phloeo- 
dictyina ; and thus we find them described and illustrated in 
his introduction to the Atlantic sponge-fauna, under the 
name of “ Rhizochalina” (Spongf. Atlantisch. Gebiet. p. 35, 
Taf. iv. figs. 1,2). He also likens their form to that of 
an ‘onion or turnip,” with a firm layer on the outside and 
concentric fibrous ones within, together with one form of 
spicule, viz. acerate; and considers the upper tubular appen- 
dages to be for the introduction of water and nourishment, 
while the under ones are for excretionary and root purposes. 
Yet it is strange, after this, that Schmidt should identify 
Dr. Bowerbank’s Desmacidon Jeffreysiti with his own 
“ Esperia” (op. cit. p. 77), and, in his footnote, assume 
that the anchorates had escaped observation (“‘ entgangen ”’) ; 
while he fails to notice Mr. Norman’s Oceanapia in connexion 
with his Rhizochalina, which he himself, as before stated, likens 
to an onion or turnip (“‘ zwiebel- oder riibenartige Koérper ”’). 
With reference to the classification of these sponges, I 
should, now that I have had to examine most of them more 
particularly, be inclined to put the group in my first family of 
the order Holorhaphidota, viz. the Renierida, next to Crassa. 
Schmidt has placed his Rhizochalina in that of the Chalineze 
(op. cit. p. 79); and sol at first “felt inclined” to place 
them in the second family of the Rhaphidonemata, viz. the 
Cavochalinida (‘ Annals,’ 1880, vol. vi. p. 37); but since I 
have had to study them more seriously my views have changed, 
and now I find that, the outer layer being isodictyal and the 
inner one spculo-fibrous, it is impossible to place them among 
the Chalinez, where, if any thing, the keratine preponderates 
over the spiculous part of the fibre ; albeit the Chalinee and 
Isodictyosa run into each other, as already stated (‘ Annals,’ 
1882, vol. ix. p. 277). Again, the isodictyal character of the 
outer layer and the form of the spicule allying them to the 
first four groups of my Renierida, it seems to me desirable 
that the Phlceodictyina should come next to these, as above 
suggested, Desmacidon fruticosa belonging to my Hali- 
chondrina. 
There is a resemblance between the appendiculate Poly- 
