Ilf THE LOWER TEETIAEY STRATA OF XEW ZEALAND. 187 



PI. YII. fig. 39. Cylindrical, curved, ends slightly inflated. 

 The entire surface thickly set with small spines. Length '125 

 mm., thickness '014 mm. 



PL VII. fig. 51. Cylindrical, with straight shaft and curved 

 ends. The straight portion has stout conical spines projecting 

 directly outwards, whilst the ends are evenly rounded and 

 smooth. Length 'IG mm., thickness "02 mm. 



Spicules q/Alectona, Carter. 



PL YII. fig. 44. Acerate spicule, bent in the middle, slowly 

 tapering to the ends, which are obtuse and spined. Surface with 

 numerous stout spines which have an apparent linear arrangement. 

 The axial canal extends throughout the spicule and opens at the 

 ends. Length "35 mm., thickness 035 mm. This form has the 

 same general characters as the large spicules of Alectona Millari, 

 Carter (Journ. E. Micros. Soc. vol. ii. 1879, p. 494, pi. xvii. fig. 3), 

 from the North Atlantic at a depth of 363 fathoms. Detached 

 spicules of the same form but with larger nodes are jjresent in 

 dredgings from off the S."W. coast of Australia at a depth of 

 2479 fathoms. 



PL VII. fig. 26. Eusiform acerate, evenly tapering to both 

 ends ; in the central portion of the spicule a few scattered spines. 

 Length '077 mm., thickness "01 mm. This form may be com- 

 pared with the subskeletal flesh- spicules of Alectona Millari, 

 Carter (1. c. pi. xvii. fig. 4). 



Skeletal Spicules q/'Hymeniscidon (?), Boic. 

 PL VII. figs. 42, 43. Subcylindi'ical spicules with obtuse ends, 

 armed throughout with stout, short, conical, acutely pointed 

 spines, without definite arrangement. Length '17 mm., thickness 

 from '05 to *08 mm. Spicules of the same character but smaller 

 have been figured by Bowerbank in Hymeniacidon Cliftoni (Mon. 

 Brit. Spong. vol. i. pp. 233, 276, pi. i. fig. 33, pi. xvii. fig. 291), 

 from Preemantle, "Western Australia. 



Skeletal Spicules o/xlxinella, Osc. Sclimidt. 

 PL VII. fig. 52. Spicules subcylindrieal, vermicular, smooth, 

 with obtusely rounded ends. Length "29 mm., thickness "015 

 mm. Similar spicules are figured by Ridley and Dendy in 

 Axinella erecta, Carter, sp. (Chall. Eep. vol. xx. p. 182, pi. xl. 

 fig. 1 a), from off" Crozet Island, at depths between 550 and 1600 



