104 OKHAMANDAL MARINE ZOOLOGY REPORT— PART II 



a variety of T. dactyloidea (var. lingua) from the Chilka Lake, growing in 

 fresh water. 



Previously known Distribution. S.E. coast of Arabia, on shallow sandy bottom 

 near shore (Carter) ; ? on the sandy bottom of the Mahim Estuary, off the Island of 

 Bombay (Carter) ^ ; King Island, Mergui Archipelago (Carter) ; Chilka Lake, Bay of 

 Bengal (Annandale). 



Register Number and Locality. II. 2 a-e. From muddy shore, Balapur, Jan. 

 1906. 



10. Tetilla hirsuta Dendy. 



Tetilla hirsuta Dendy [1889]. 



Cinachyra hirsuta Lendenfeld [1903]. 



Tetilla hirsuta Dendy [1905]. 



I identify with this species two specimens (R.N. XIX., 5, 6), neither of which is 

 in a very good state of preservation and neither of which shows the arrangement of 

 the inhalant and exhalant apertures. They agree closely with the type as regards 

 spiculation, but the trisenes are very scarce. 



R.N. XXI. 5 may also possibly belong to this species. It contains, however, 

 numerous small, scattered oxea, and may possibly be a specimen of T. poculifera Dendy 

 [1905]. It is, however, a mere fragment and cannot be safely identified. 



Previously known Distribution. Gulf of Mannar and Ceylon coast (Dendy). 



Register Number and Locality. R.N. XIX., 5, 6, Vamiani Point, January 5, '06 ; 

 ? R.N. XXI., 5, off Rupan Bander and Kutchegudh, 4-7 fms., 8.12.05. 



11. Tetilla pilula n. sp.— (Plate I, Figs. 2a-2c.) 



There are three specimens of this fascinating little sponge in the collection, 

 all closely resembhng one another in external form and microscopic details of 

 structure. The form is spherical, with a single small vent surrounded by a 

 distinct spicular, membranous collar. The largest specimen (R.N. IV. 96) measures 

 only about 5 mm. in diameter, the other two only about 3 mm. The surface 

 is minutely conulose, not visibly hispid, and there is no root-tuft. The texture 

 is rather soft and compressible, and the colour in spirit pale greyish-yellow. 



The arrangement of the skeleton is very strongly radial. Dense and closely- 

 placed bundles of slender oxea and triaenes radiate outwards from a central 

 " nucleus," while the hair-hke shafts of the trisenes are often collected together 

 in wavy fibres which also diverge from the centre of the sponge. As they 

 approach the surface the spicule-bundles spread out very gradually into surface- 

 brushes (Fig. 2a) composed of oxea, protrisenes and anamonsenes, the apices ' of 

 ^ The evidence of the specific identity in this case is insufficient. 



