IN THE LOWEli TERTIARY STRATA OE NEW ZEALAND. 199 



acuate skeletal spicules of Samacantlia ; so tliat it is safe to 

 conclude that sponges of this genus were present. 



Samacantlia Huttoni, n. sp. — Pi. IX. fig, 35. Eobust bihamate, 

 haying a curved shaft with wide laminar inner margin ; rounded 

 above and below ; hooks barbed, projecting outwards so as to 

 leave open oval notches beneath the curves at both ends. A well- 

 marked axial canal is continuous throughout the spicule, and 

 opens at the extremity of the hooks. Height '22 mm., greatest 

 width of shaft '027 mm. This spicule probably belongs to a new 

 species, which may be termed Samacantlia Suttoni, after 

 Capt. E. W. Hutton, F.G-.S., to whom we are indebted for first 

 sending over the Oamaru material to this country. 



Samacantlia ?, sp. — PI. IX. fig. 3(5. Eobust bihamate ; shaft 

 slightly curved, cylindrical, either without an inner laminated 

 flange, or having a slightly developed edge near both ends, which 

 are evenly rounded without a distinct notch ; extremities acute, 

 with flanges and barbs directed outwards. Height '205 mm., thick- 

 ness of shaft •012 mm. This form is intermediate in character 

 between the ordinary C-shaped bihamates, such as that figured, 

 PI. IX. fig. 32, and the normal bihamates of Samacantlia, PI. IX. 

 fig. 34 ; the flanges and notches of the shaft in this latter are 

 not developed, whilst the hamate ends are similar. Bihamates 

 in which the Samacantlia characters are still less developed 

 than in this fossil occur in Esperella Simonis, E-idley and Deudy 

 (Chall. Eep. vol. xx. p. 73, pi. xv. fig. 13), from Simon's Bay, 

 15-20 fathoms. 



Flesli- Spicules q/Melouanchora, Garter. 



Melonancliora (a). — PI. IX. fig. 39. Equianchorate with 

 smooth evenly-curved shaft and unusually loug, slender, curved 

 teeth, which are bent over so that those of the opposite ends are 

 nearly in contact or overlap each, other. Palces very prominent. 

 Length of spicule '066 mm., of the teeth -034 mm., thickness of 

 shaft "007 mm. Only a lateral view of this spicule has been 

 recognized, but it accords so materially with the same aspect of 

 the larger anchorates in Melonancliora elliptica, Carter (Ann, & 

 Mag. N. H. s. 4, vol. xiv. 1874, p. 212, pi. xiii. fig. 11), the type 

 of the genus, that there is little doubt of the relationship. In 

 size also the fossil corresponds closely with the recent spicule, 

 but the teeth in this latter, judging from the figures, are less 

 developed. Osc. Schmidt has already pointed out that this form 



