SPONGES — WHITELEGGE. 473 



invisible even with the aid of a lens ; here and there oscula-like 

 apertures are present, but it is difficult to say whether they are 

 true oscula or accidental perforations ; the tips of the branches 

 are provided with vents, but it is only by cutting sections that 

 they can be demonstrated. 



A M P H I L E C T U S, Vosmaer. 



AMPHILECTUS CERATOSUS, Ridley and Bendy. 



Amphilectus ceratosus, Ridley and Dendy, Chall. Rep., Zool., xx., 

 1887, p. 125, pi. xix., fig. 10-lOa, pi. xxv., fig. 2, pi. xlvii., 



• fig. 2. 



Station 36. 



A single example of this interesting species was obtained oflf 

 Botany Bay at a depth of 23 fathoms. The specimen is sub- 

 flabellate and attached to the stem of a Gorgonia. It measures 

 50 mm. in height, 35 mm. in breidtli, and from 15 to 20 mm. in 

 thickness. The dermal surface is smooth and very finely porous, 

 the pores being confined to certain areas, and are pretty evenly 

 distributed. Yents numerous, scattered, about 1 mm. or less in 

 diameter. 



The skeleton agrees with Ridley and Dendy's description, and 

 it may be added that in the sections examined some of the stouter 

 fibres are dilated and form a kind of trellis, and have scattered 

 sand grains both in the fibres and enclosed in the mesh of the 

 reticulation. The presence of sand grains in the main fibres lends 

 support to the idea — suggested in the remarks following the 

 description — that the horny skeleton is that of a Euspongia over 

 which the spicule-bearing sponge has grown. 



The spicules agree with those of the type. 



CLADORHIZA, Sars. 



CLADORHIZA WAITEI, sp. nov. 



(Plate xliv., figs. 13, 13a.) 



Stations 36, 44. 



Some eight or ten examples of this interesting form are in the 

 collection, and in most cases they are on the stemsof dead Gorgonias; 

 in some specimens they form a coating around along simple stem, 

 in others they cover a series of complicated branches. The space 

 between the branches is frequently bridged over by more or less 



