Sponges from South Australia. 357 



head, 17 by l-6000th. Structure hard, compact, firm through- 

 out, not condensed axiallj. Size of specimen 6 in. long. 

 Depth 20 fath. 



Group 6. HiGGiNSiNA (new group). 



13. Trachycladus Icevis^iruUfer , Carter (' Annals,' 1879, 

 vol. iii. p. 343, pi. xxviii. fig. 1). 



Ohs. There are two specimens of this sponge whose cylin- 

 drical branches dichotomously divided only once or twice are 

 12 in. long by -| in. in diameter, diminishing towards the 

 points. They are chiefly remarkable for their bright colour, 

 said, when fresh, to be " brilliant scarlet," now but little 

 faded. This colour is owing to the presence of an apparently 

 ? symbiotic oscillatorian Alga, varying under 4-6000ths in. 

 long, and in its largest form consisting of four cells, of which 

 the terminal one at one end is conical or pointed. It is so 

 abundantly present and so much larger than the flesh-spicules, 

 which are again very small, that without close examination 

 the latter are apt to pass unnoticed. 



Depth 19 fath. 



Ohs. It is a short oscillatorian Alga which gives the red and 

 other bright colours to the Red Sea ; also the cserulean cobalt 

 tint to the cserulean Suberitic sponge of this coast ; and some- 

 times living symbiotically with Sjiongelia pallescens, where 

 Dr. F. E. Schulze has actually found it to be present in plurality 

 in the ciliated emhryo (Zeitschrift f. wiss. Zool. Bd. xxxii. 

 Taf. V. fig. 7) , of which he kindly sent me a preparation. 



14. Higginsia coralloides^ Higgin (' Annals,' 1877, vol. xix. 

 pi. xiv. fig. 1, &c.). 



Ohs. Of this species there are two or three specimens, with a 

 variety, which may be described as follows : — 



15. Higginsia coralloides^ var. massalis. 



Sessile, massive, lobate, contracted towards the base, con- 

 vex above. Consistence firm, resilient. Colour, when fresh, 

 " dull purple," now light mouse-colour. Surface uniformly 

 covered with meandering sulci separating correspondingly, 

 formed round linear elevations or ridges supporting a smooth 

 dermis. Vents small, very numerous, following the meander- 

 ing lines of the sulci between the ridges. Spiculation like 

 that of Higginsia coralloides, only here and there the acerate 

 is acuated. 



Ohs. All the specimens of Higginsia come from about the 

 game place or depth, viz. 11 fath., and all are stated to have 



