1904.] SPONGES OF THE GENUS LEUCOSOLENIA, 393 



oscular tubes. The basal network thus completely resembles 

 variabilis in its spiculation. For these reasons I should certainly 

 place the two forms as varieties of one species were I now 

 describing them for the first time. 



I refrain at present, however, from taking the step of uniting 

 the two forms, for the reason that they have long been kept 

 distinct, and that they are generally very easily recognised and 

 distinguished from each other. To call them one species, definite 

 proof of relationship should be obtained. If, for instance, larvae 

 of a typical specimen of hotryoides were cultivated and found to 

 give rise to variabilis as well as to botryoides, according to the 

 conditions of growth, no one could doubt any longer that the 

 alleged two species were one. The experimental test of their 

 relationship should not be difficult to obtain ; but until it has 

 been obtained, the two forms may be provisionally kept distinct 

 under their old names, in spite of the fact that the diagnostic 

 features of botryoides are purely I'elative as compared with 

 variabilis. 



(d) List of Specimens examined. 



{a) From Canon Norman's Collection. 



1. Dried specimen received from Johnston and sent by him 

 to Haeckel for examination ; figured by Haeckel, Die 

 Kalkschwamme, pi. 9. fig. 10. (Haeckel's figure is, 

 however, very much reconstructed, and does not bear a 

 close resemblance to the original.) With a label in 

 Haeckel's handwriting : — 



" Ascaltis botryoides Hkl. 



" Grantia botryoides Johnston. 



" Leucosolenia botryoides Bwbk. 



" (vera !). 

 " Berwick Bay, Johnston." 

 Also with label by Norman : — 



" Leucosolenia botryoides. 



" Berwick Bay, Feb. 22nd, 1851, 



" Dr. Johnston." 



This most precious specimen is therefore one of Haeckel's types, 

 and it shows clearly that, in a manner analogous to the case of 

 L. complicata mentioned above, Haeckel overlooked the small but 

 very abundant monaxons (see text-fig. 97, figg. 23 a-23 p, p. 388) ; 

 that therefore the species should have been placed as Ascandra 

 botryoides in his system ; and that consequently the ^iecie^ Ascandra 

 botrys H. should be struck out of the system, becoming a synonym 

 of L. botryoides. 



2. Dried specimen received from Dr. E. Perceval Wiight, by 

 whom it was sent to Haeckel for identification. With 

 label in Wright's handwriting : — 



" Ascandra botrys, Portrush, E. P. W. 

 " Specimens named by Haeckel." 

 (See text-fig. 98, figg. 24 «-24 i, p. 390.) 



