EUSIPHONELLA PROLIFERA. 219 
tube with elongated ostia, disposed in vertical rows which serve as the apertures 
of horizontal radial canals. The skeletal fibres are delicate, and form a loose 
meshwork. ‘The outer surface provided with pores or small ostia. This genus 
may be distinguished from Peronidella by the presence of a system of horizontal 
canals. The type of the genus is Husiphonella (Scyphia) Bronnii, Goldfuss, sp. 
(‘Petref. Germ.,’ vol. i, p. 91, pl. xxxi, fig. 9), from the Upper Jura of 
Wiirtemberg. 
27. HusirpHONELLA PROLIFERA, Hinde, sp. nov. Plate XV, figs. 5, 5a. 
Sponges growing in large masses of frequently branching spongites, which 
radiate from a centre and extend both horizontally and vertically. The type-form 
is 170 mm. in length, 130 mm. broad, and 100 mm. in height. ‘The individual 
spongites are cylindrical, straight or curved, with slightly swollen summits, which 
are, however, flat above. The longest individual measured is 27 mm., and they 
range from 6 mm. to 9 mm. in thickness. The branching usually takes place 
from the summit of the stems, which become tumid and give off two or three buds 
or short branches, which either grow parallel with the mother stem or slightly 
diverge from it. The spongites thus open all round the mass, and in the type- 
specimen there are more than one hundred of them. 
The outer surface consists of minute scattered subcircular ostia, about °4 mm. in 
width, with irregular porous interspaces between them. ‘The cloacal apertures are 
from 2°5 mm. to 3 mm. in width. The interior surface of the cloacal tube has 
numerous delicate projecting longitudinal ridges, and the small elongate ostia are 
situated in the intermediate furrows. The spicular fibres are delicate, principally 
of three-rayed spicules, which, however, are very imperfectly shown in section ; 
filiform spicules are present in places on the outer portion of the fibres. In 
transverse section the fibres range from ‘08 mm. to ‘18 mm. in thickness. 
Besides its larger habit of growth, this species differs from Husiphonella 
(Scyphia) Bronmi, Goldfuss, sp. (‘ Petref. Germ.,’ vol. i, p. 91, pl. xxxii, fig. 9), in 
its mode of branching and the relative thicker walls of the spongites. It may 
be doubted whether all the forms placed by Quenstedt under H. (Scyphia) Bronnii 
(¢ Petref. Deutsch.,’ vol. v, p. 183, pl. exxiv, figs. 1—15) should really be included in 
a single species; those which are termed Scyphia Bronnw cesposa (I. ¢., figs. 
10—12) approach the nearest to our species. 
Distribution.—The form appears to be rare; the only specimen known is 
from the Great Oolite near Bath, and it is now in the British Natural History 
Museum. 
