﻿A 
  MONOGRAPH 
  OF 
  THE 
  VICTORIAN 
  SPONGES. 
  49 
  

  

  of 
  very 
  large 
  oxeote 
  spicules 
  arranged 
  longitudinally 
  and 
  very 
  near 
  together, 
  between 
  

   which 
  are 
  the 
  inhalant 
  pores. 
  The 
  wall 
  of 
  the 
  tube 
  is 
  0*2 
  mm. 
  in 
  thickness. 
  The 
  

   colour 
  (dry 
  or 
  in 
  spirit 
  ?) 
  is 
  yellowish 
  white. 
  

  

  (b.) 
  Arrangement 
  of 
  the 
  Skeleton. 
  — 
  The 
  skeleton 
  consists 
  of 
  quadriradiate 
  and 
  

   oxeote 
  spicules, 
  arranged 
  in 
  the 
  normal 
  manner, 
  the 
  quadriradiates 
  forming 
  an 
  

   internal 
  layer 
  with 
  the 
  apical 
  rays 
  projecting 
  into 
  the 
  gastral 
  cavity 
  and 
  the 
  oxea 
  

   forming 
  an 
  external 
  layer. 
  Judging 
  from 
  the 
  description 
  the 
  oxea 
  do 
  not 
  project 
  

   beyond 
  the 
  outer 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  tube 
  but 
  the 
  surface 
  is 
  minutely 
  hispid 
  from 
  the 
  

   projection 
  of 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  facial 
  rays 
  of 
  the 
  quadriradiates. 
  

  

  (c.) 
  The 
  Spicules. 
  

  

  (1) 
  Quadriradiates. 
  — 
  These 
  are 
  comparatively 
  small 
  and 
  delicate 
  spicules, 
  

   with 
  very 
  slender 
  rays. 
  They 
  are 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  sagittal 
  in 
  form, 
  

   with 
  a 
  long 
  basal 
  ray 
  and 
  two 
  very 
  much 
  shorter 
  oral 
  rays 
  extended 
  

   almost 
  at 
  right 
  angles 
  to 
  the 
  basal 
  ray. 
  The 
  basal 
  ray 
  is 
  perfectly 
  

   straight 
  and 
  tapers 
  gradually 
  to 
  a 
  fine 
  point. 
  The 
  oral 
  rays 
  are 
  also 
  

   finely 
  and 
  gradually 
  pointed, 
  but 
  curve 
  slightly 
  backwards 
  towards 
  the 
  

   apex 
  of 
  the 
  basal 
  ray. 
  The 
  basal 
  ray 
  measures 
  about 
  0*375 
  by 
  O-OO-l 
  

   mm. 
  and 
  the 
  oral 
  rays 
  about 
  0-18 
  by 
  0'004 
  mm. 
  

  

  (2.) 
  Oxeotcs. 
  — 
  ^These 
  are 
  very 
  long 
  and 
  stout, 
  symmetrically 
  fusiform, 
  

   slightly 
  curved 
  and 
  gradually 
  sharp-pointed 
  at 
  each 
  end, 
  averaging 
  

   about 
  2*0 
  mm. 
  in 
  length 
  by 
  O'l 
  mm. 
  in 
  diameter. 
  

  

  {d.) 
  Affinities. 
  — 
  Although 
  Mr. 
  Carter 
  places 
  this 
  species 
  amongst 
  the 
  Leucons, 
  

   yet 
  his 
  description 
  makes 
  it 
  perfectly 
  clear 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  really 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  Honwccela 
  

   simplicia 
  and 
  nearly 
  related 
  to 
  Lcucosolcnin 
  stolonifcr. 
  If 
  the 
  description 
  be 
  correct, 
  

   however, 
  as 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  reason 
  to 
  doubt 
  it 
  is, 
  it 
  is 
  readily 
  distinguishable 
  from 
  that 
  

   species 
  by 
  the 
  size 
  and 
  shape 
  of 
  the 
  spicules, 
  and 
  i)Ossibly 
  also 
  by 
  the 
  external 
  form, 
  

   for 
  there 
  ap])pars 
  to 
  be 
  no 
  spongorhiza 
  and 
  the 
  individuals 
  are 
  stated 
  to 
  grow 
  from 
  

   a 
  contracted 
  base. 
  (Vide 
  also 
  the 
  remarks 
  on 
  the 
  affinities 
  of 
  Lciicosolcnia 
  stolonifcr, 
  

   supra.) 
  

  

  {c.} 
  Locality.— 
  ^ear 
  Port 
  Philli)) 
  Heads. 
  (Coll. 
  J. 
  B. 
  Wilson.) 
  

  

  Section 
  2. 
  Reticulata. 
  

  

  The 
  s])onge-colony 
  forms 
  a 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  com])lex 
  network 
  of 
  branching 
  and 
  

   anastomosing 
  tubes, 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  no 
  longer 
  possible 
  to 
  distinguish 
  the 
  individual 
  Ascon- 
  

   persons 
  of 
  which 
  the 
  colony 
  is 
  comi)Osed. 
  

  

  