SPONGHDA. 603 



pelago, but it has not yet, so far as I am aware, been recognized on 

 either coast of Africa. 



1 9. Chalina eloi^ata. 



? Spongia elongata, Lamarck, Arm. Mus. Hist. Nat. xx. p. 461. 

 ? Spongia lanuginosa, Esper, JPflanzenth. ii. p. ^43, pi. xxiv. 



An erect Chalina, with short common stem and somewhat tor- 

 tuous branches, few, tapering to sharp points, uneven in diameter 

 and shape, ranging from 2 (at the tips) to 8 miUim. in thickness, 

 cylindrical or compressed, simple, or bearing a short incipient or 

 , stunted branchlet here and there. Length of branches 20-55 

 millim. Common stem 25 millim. long, compressed, greatest dia- 

 meter 11 millim. Vents? (perhaps -6 to 1 millim. in diameter, 

 few). Mode of branching dichotomous, branches given off at angles 

 of about 50°. Surface rendered minutely pUose by the projecting 

 ends of the primary fibres. Consistence in spirit very soft, com- 

 pressible, elastic (Uke that of the finest Turkey sponge) ; colour very 

 pale brown (almost white). Main skeleton rectangular in arrange- 

 ment; primary fibres -SS-'? millim. apart, •035--043 millim. in 

 diameter, containing 3-5 series of spicules, with a narrow horny 

 margin visible ; secondaries "024 millim. thick, with 1 (r^ely 2) 

 series of spicules, the fibres at intervals of 48 to '35 millim. 

 Dermal skeleton as main skeleton, but primary fibres only about 

 ■14 to -28 millim. apart. Skeleton-fibre pale yellow. Sarcode trans- 

 parent, almost colourless. Spicule smooth, acerate, straight, tapering 

 from one or two diameters from ends to moderately sharp points ; 

 size -13 by -0057 millim. 



Hab. Darros Island, Amirante group, 22 fins. ; bottom, broken 

 coral. 



Two specimens, one 80 millim. (3^ inches) high, the other quite 

 low, their bases growing among some branching Polyzoa. The 

 species agrees with Lamarck's description of his S. elongata so far as 

 it goes, but it is too short to be decisive ; he gives " Mers Australes " 

 as its locality. Esper's figure (I. c.) strongly resembles it in colour 

 and in the shape of the branches, but his specimen was from 

 Brittany. Possibly some of the specimens from other localities, 

 which he mentions as belonging to his species, may be identical 

 with the present. 



20. Chalina, sp. 



A small specimen of a tender repent species, the horny matter of 

 the fibres being small in quantity and very pale and transparent. 

 Colour in spirit a fine nut-brown ; consistency soft and very yielding. 

 Surface even, rendered minutely pilose by the ends of the primary 

 fibres. Branches rather tortuous, subcylindrical, compressed here 

 and there ; greatest diameter (where not affected by accidents of 

 growth) 2-6 millim.; stem similar, diameter .about 2-5 millim. 

 Yents orbicular, "5 to 1-5 miUim. in diameter, arranged in a series 

 on one side of sponge, at intervals of about 5 millim. Main 



