﻿48 
  A 
  MONOGRAPH 
  OF 
  THE 
  VICTORIAN 
  SPONGES. 
  

  

  The 
  variability 
  and 
  frequent 
  irregularity 
  of 
  the 
  spicules 
  in 
  this 
  species 
  render 
  

   them 
  difficult 
  to 
  describe 
  accurately, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  hoped 
  that 
  the 
  figures 
  will 
  serve 
  to 
  give 
  

   a 
  correct 
  idea 
  of 
  them. 
  

  

  (d.) 
  Affinities. 
  — 
  In 
  external 
  form 
  this 
  species 
  bears 
  a 
  marked 
  resemblance 
  

   to 
  HfBckel's 
  Asconidra 
  variabilis* 
  while 
  in 
  spiculation 
  it 
  approaches 
  the 
  Ascidmis 
  

   form 
  of 
  tlie 
  same 
  species. 
  f 
  Ha-ckel's 
  species, 
  however, 
  differs 
  from 
  Lcucosoknia 
  

   stolonifcr 
  in 
  the 
  presence 
  of 
  an 
  annular 
  swelling 
  near 
  one 
  extremity 
  of 
  the 
  oxeote 
  

   spicule 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  wavy 
  curvature 
  of 
  the 
  rays 
  of 
  the 
  quadriradiates, 
  moreover 
  

   triradiate 
  spicules 
  are 
  almost 
  always 
  present. 
  Carter's 
  Apliroccras 
  asconoidcs, 
  

   from 
  near 
  Port 
  Phillip 
  Heads, 
  perhaps 
  makes 
  a 
  nearer 
  approach 
  to 
  our 
  species 
  and 
  

   I 
  at 
  first 
  believed 
  the 
  two 
  to 
  be 
  identical. 
  In 
  Lcucosoknia 
  asconoidcs, 
  however, 
  judging 
  

   from 
  Carter's 
  description]: 
  the 
  oxeote 
  spicules 
  are 
  much 
  larger 
  and 
  symmetrically 
  

   fusiform, 
  while 
  the 
  quadriradiates 
  have 
  much 
  slenderer 
  rays 
  and 
  none 
  of 
  them 
  

   appear 
  to 
  have 
  the 
  greatly 
  enlarged 
  apical 
  ray 
  characteristic 
  of 
  Lciicosolcnia 
  stolonifcr. 
  

   I 
  have 
  five 
  distinct 
  colonies 
  of 
  this 
  species 
  and 
  in 
  all 
  five 
  the 
  enlarged 
  apical 
  rays 
  

   projecting 
  into 
  the 
  gastral 
  cavity 
  form 
  a 
  conspicuous 
  feature. 
  

  

  [e.) 
  Locality. 
  —^eoi 
  Port 
  Phillip 
  Heads. 
  (Coll. 
  J. 
  B. 
  Wilson.) 
  

  

  3. 
  Lciicosolcnia 
  asconoidcs, 
  CRviev, 
  sp. 
  

  

  Aphroccras 
  asconoidcs, 
  Carter, 
  Annals 
  and 
  Magaziiie 
  of 
  Natural 
  History, 
  August 
  

   1886, 
  p. 
  134. 
  

  

  (As 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  had 
  the 
  opportunity 
  of 
  examining 
  this 
  species 
  myself 
  I 
  must 
  rely 
  

   entirely 
  on 
  Mr. 
  Carter's 
  description, 
  which, 
  in 
  conjunction 
  with 
  the 
  manuscript 
  

   illustrations 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  which 
  he 
  has 
  kindly 
  sent 
  me, 
  appears 
  to 
  me 
  to 
  be 
  

   sufficiently 
  detailed 
  for 
  recognition.) 
  

  

  (a.) 
  General 
  Appearance 
  and 
  Canal 
  System. 
  — 
  The 
  sponge 
  consists 
  of 
  a 
  colony 
  

   of 
  Ascon-persons 
  growing 
  from 
  a 
  contracted 
  base. 
  The 
  individuals 
  are 
  long, 
  

   narrow, 
  tubular, 
  sessile, 
  somewhat 
  compressed, 
  diminishing 
  in 
  size 
  towards 
  the 
  free 
  

   end, 
  which 
  is 
  truncate, 
  and 
  contracted 
  towards 
  the 
  other, 
  which 
  is 
  fixed. 
  They 
  attain 
  a 
  

   height 
  of 
  about 
  37 
  mm. 
  and 
  a 
  diameter 
  of 
  nearly 
  3 
  mm. 
  They 
  often 
  branch 
  

   slightly. 
  The 
  osculum, 
  at 
  the 
  upper 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  tube, 
  is 
  not 
  surrounded 
  by 
  any 
  

   fringe. 
  In 
  dry 
  specimens 
  the 
  outer 
  surface 
  is 
  even, 
  glistening, 
  composed 
  of 
  a 
  layer 
  

  

  • 
  "Die 
  Kalkschwiimme," 
  Vol. 
  III., 
  PI. 
  18, 
  Fig. 
  9. 
  

  

  t 
  Op. 
  at. 
  Vol. 
  II., 
  p. 
  108; 
  Vol. 
  III., 
  PI. 
  16, 
  Fig. 
  4. 
  

  

  ; 
  Annala 
  and 
  Magazine 
  of 
  Natural 
  History, 
  August, 
  1886, 
  p. 
  134. 
  

  

  ^BE 
  

  

  