540 SUBANTARCTlC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. [Sponges. 



or making some approach to forming spiculo-fibres. In some of the larger inhalent 

 canals, particularly those that terminate under the papillae, the wall is strengthened 

 by spicules, with the apical ray directed towards the surface of the sponge. Spicules 

 seldom project into the canals or subdermal spaces; never into the small spherical 

 flagellated chambers. 



Under the pore-areas there lie subdermal cavities varying in size and shape. 

 From these cavities run branching inhalent canals — sometimes one, sometimes 

 many — starting from a single cavity. 



Sponge found in Perseverance Harbour, Campbell Island, between the tide- 

 marks. 



It is with reluctance that I propose a new genus for this sponge. Its affinities 

 appear to me to be almost entirely with Halichondria ; but Ridley and Dendy's 

 classification (1), which I prefer to follow as nearly as may be, expressly limits the 

 family Homorrha'phidae to sponges whose spicules are oxea or strongyla. It seems 

 to me impossible to refer this sponge to the Suheritidae. In von Lendenfeld's classi- 

 fication also (2) the sponge would have to be placed in the Suheritidae. If the genus 

 Stylohalina becomes recognised, it will involve the founding of a new family, Stylo- 

 halinidae, for Halichondrine sponges without spongin and with a skeleton consisting 

 of styli only. 



Bowerbank's Halichondria simplex (3) was described from a single dried speci- 

 men. I cannot be sure that the Campbell Island sponge is not identical with it. 



WORKS REFERRED TO IN TEXT. 



1. "'Challenger' Reports." Monaxonida. Ridley and Dendy. 



2. " Sponges in the Australian Museum." Von Lendenfeld. 1888. 



3. " Monograph of the British Spongiadae." Bowerbank. 1864. 



4. Contribution to a Knowledge of the New Zealand Sponges. Kirk. Trans. N.Z, 



Inst., vol. xxvi. 



DESCRIPTION OP PLATE XXV. 



Stylohalina conica, n. sp. 



Fig. 1. Section at right angles to surface. 

 Figs. 2, 3. Spicules. 



