New System o/" ChaliniriEe. 329 



and described* the exhalant canal-system as being typically 

 eurypylous, the flagellated chambers opening directly by means 

 of loide mouths into thewide exhalant lacunse, a condition about 

 the existence of which in that species there cannot be the 

 slightest doubt, and which is thoroughly in harmony with 

 Dr. von Lendenfeld's and my own published opinions regarding 

 the close relationship of the Chalininse to the Renierin^. If, 

 however. Dr. von Lendenfeld's figures are correct, then we have 

 two types of canal-system to deal with in the group Chali- 

 nin^, and his statement " Es geht hieraus hervor, dass das 

 Canalsystem der zu der Gruppe Chalininee vereinten Formen 

 ziemlich unveranderlich ist, und es leistet diese Monotonie 

 desselben in gewissem Grade Biirgschaft fiir die Solidaritat 

 der hier zur Subfamilie der Chalininge vereinten Spongien," 

 would seem to fall to the ground. 



The comparative length of the section on the spicules of the 

 group is due to the fact that Dr. von Lendenfeld includes 

 amongst his Chalinin^ a number of species possessed of other 

 than oxeote megasclera, and also certain species which even 

 have microsclera, a proceeding which, in my opinion, is quite 

 unjustifiable. But I shall return to this question later on, 

 and have only to remark, with regard to the spicules described 

 and figured, that GelUodes jpoculum^ Ridley and Dendy, has 

 certainly not got any sigmata of the very remarkable shape 

 figured as belonging to that species (plate xxvii. fig. 9). 



The author's discoveries with regard to the nervous system 

 of the Chalininge are most important and worthy of the most 

 careful attention. He finds that the nervous system consists 

 of irregular cells, distributed in the neighbourhood of the 

 pores. These always remain single, and there are usually from 

 three to five to each pore. They appear to be ganglion-cells, 

 and each one gives ofiT a process which projects beyond the 

 margin of the pore as a distinct " thorn " into its lumen 

 (plate xxvii. fig. 15). Future investigators will do well to 

 endeavour to confirm these very remarkable and important 

 results. 



It is also very interesting to learn that the Chalininaj possess 

 spongoblasts like those of the true horny sponges — a fact 

 which was before almost certain from analogy, but which it 

 is most important to have confirmed by direct observation. 



The embryological section calls for no special comment, and 

 this part of the subject is left pretty much in statu quo. 



* Proc. Zool. Sec. 1887, p. 524, woodcut, fig. 6. 



