64 Canadian Record of Science. 
This species appears to have been the prevailing form at 
Métis. Four specimens have been sent to me; in two of 
these the spicular frame-work of the body of the sponge re- 
tains in places its natural arrangement; in the other two 
the framework has been almost entirely broken up, and its 
constituent spicules irregularly mingled and compressed 
together. But in every specimen there are four anchoring 
spicules occupying the same relative position to the frame- 
work or body-wall of the sponge, thus clearly showing that 
they are essential to the species. In the spicules of the 
body-wall only four transverse rays can be distinguished, 
but it is quite possible, as already mentioned, that a fifth 
ray may have been present. On one of the rock-slabs 
there is a detached spicule in which the fragmentary 
stump of a fifth ray can be clearly seen projecting from 
the central node of the transverse rays. The rays in this 
spicule are unusually long, one can be traced for 30 mm, 
There can be no hesitation in placing this form in the 
genus Protospongia, since the same arrangement of the 
spicular mesh-work is present in it as in the type of this 
genus. In no other examples of the genus, however, has 
the presence of anchoring spicules been recognized, owing, 
no doubt, to their imperfect state of preservation, and this 
feature may now be reckoned as one of the generic 
characters. 
There are also differences of opinion as to the character 
of the spicular mesh-work and the systematic position of 
Protospongia, and fresh light on the points contested is 
afforded by these Quebec specimens. It has been doubted 
whether the body-wall of the sponge merely consisted of a 
single layer of spicules, or whether this layer corresponded 
to the dermal layer in other sponges of this group, and, as 
in these, was supplemented by an inner spicular skeleton. 
The evidence of the Quebec specimens favors the view that 
the body-wall of the sponge consisted only of a single layer 
of spicules. Various opinions have likewise been held as 
to whether the body-spicules were free, and merely held in 
their natural positions by the soft animal tissues, or 
