BLASTINIA. 245 
52. Diapectia auricuta, Hinde. Plate XIX, figs. 3, 3a. 
1883. DrapLectra avRicuta, Hinde. Cat. Foss. Sponges, p. 193, pl. xxxvi, 
figs. 4, 4a. 
Fan- or ear-shaped sponges; the walls from 5 to 10 mm. in thickness with 
rounded margins. The exterior surface shows a reticular arrangement of the 
fibres with irregular interspaces. The fibres are very robust, from ‘2 to ‘4 mm. 
in thickness; the axial spicules are closely arranged, the marginal spicules have 
sinuous rays which are dovetailed into each other; occasionally a third ray can 
_ be seen in these spicules. Tuning-fork spicules are also present. The only 
Specimen is 30 mm. in height and 50 mm. in breadth. 
Distribution.—Inferior Oolite. Pea-grit, near Cheltenham (British Natural 
History Museum). 
53. DIAPLECTIA INFUNDIBULUM, Hinde, sp. nov. Plate XIX, figs. 4, 4 a. 
Funnel-shaped sponges, walls from 2 to 4 mm. in thickness, the margin 
rounded. Both theinner and outer surface smooth, the fibres generally reticulate, 
from ‘1 to :25 mm. in thickness. The interspaces between the fibres irregular, 
with occasional suboval larger spaces nearly *5 mm. in width. 
Only a single specimen is known, which is 20 mm. in height and 27 mm. in 
breadth at the summit. In general form it resembles some of the specimens of 
Diaplectia helvelloides, Lamx., sp. (‘ Exp. méthod.,’ p. 87, pl. lxxxiv, figs. 1—3), 
but the fibres are distinctly finer, and they have not the longitudinal arrange- 
ment as in this latter species. 
Distribution—Great Oolite. Bradford, Wiltshire (Woodwardian Museum, 
Cambridge). 
Genus.—Buastinia, Zittel. 
1878. Studien iiber fossile Spongien, Abhandl. der k. bayer. Akademie der Wiss., Cl. ii, 
Bd. xiii, Abth. 3, p. 132. 
Syn.—Achilleum, Goldfuss (in part) ; Actinospongia, Pterosmila, Pomel ; Astro- 
spongia, Htallon (in part) ; Tetrasmila, Fromentel (in part). 
Sponges simple or compound, subspherical, hemispherical, obtusely conical, 
13 
