IS THE LOWER TEltTIAKT STRATA OP NEW ZEALAND. 211 



above are from the Crozet Islands and from the North-east of 

 New Zealand respectively. The skeletal spicules in the existing 

 species are acuates and pin-shaped, and corresponding forms are 

 likewise present in the Oamaru deposit. 



Anclwrale FlesJi-SpicuIes of Chondrociadia,, Wyv. Thomson. 



Ghondrocladia (a). — PI. X. fig. 31. Equianchorate with an 

 elongated curved shaft of nearly equal thickness tliroughout 

 as seen laterally. There are at least three short, divergent, 

 acutely-pointed teeth at either end. Length of spicule "058 mm., 

 of teeth "007 mm., thickness of shaft 'OO^l mm. Viewed laterally 

 this form has the same character as the equianchorates in some 

 of the ' Challenger ' species of Ghondrocladia, e. g. C. crinita, 

 Ridley and Deudy (Chall. Eep. vol. xx. p. 101, pi. xxi. fig. 17 «), 

 from N. of New Guinea, depth 2000 faths. ; but it is considerably 

 smaller than the recent spicules. 



Chondrocladia (b). — PL X. fig. 32. Equianchorate with 

 nearly straight even shaft slightly swollen at the ends, and witli 

 three short conical teeth extending from either end nearly at 

 right angles to the shaft. In the small size and simple character 

 of the teeth this form resembles the normal flesh-spicules of 

 recent species of Chondrocladia, but it does not approach very 

 closely to any known form. Length of spicule '053 mm., of the 

 teeth "005 mm., thickness of shaft "005 mm. The cast of an ap- 

 parently allied form is figured by Riist from the Jurassic strata 

 of Ilsede, Hanover (Pal., Bd. xxxi. pi, xx. fig. 10). 



Chondrocladia (c). — PL X. fig. 33. Equianchorate with slender, 

 elongate, curved shaft, slightly alate near the end, and slender 

 ficutely-pointed teeth, curved and slightly directed outwards. 

 There are at least three of these teeth at either end. Length of 

 spicule 'OiS mm., of teeth '01 mm,, thickness of shaft '0016 mm. 

 Spicules of similar character but somewhat larger, and with more 

 teeth, are figured by Hidley and Dendy in Chondrocladia con- 

 crescens, Osc. Sch. (Chall. Eep. vol. xx. p, 100, pi. xxi, fig. 12), 

 from the North Pacific at a depth of 2900 fathoms. 



Chondrocladia (d). — Pl.X. fig.3i. Equiauchorate(?)with curved 

 shaft, though straight in front view, and with six or seven small 

 curved teeth at the upper end, whilst at the lower only four are 

 shown. Length of spicule '046 mm., of teeth "0058 mm., thick- 

 ness of shaft "0041 mm. 



15* 



