ABYSMAL FAUNA. 247 
from station 160, off Tasmania; (ii.) HZ polejaevii, F.E.S., from 
station 157; (iii.) Malacosaccus vastus, F.E.S., trom station 146, a 
“flabby plate” which “could be folded like a cloth.” Belonging to 
the family Ascovzwamps, (iv.) Polyrhabdus oviformis, F.E.S., from 
station 156; (v.) Cawlophacus latus, F.E.S., from station 147. 
Belonging to the family Rossexzm2x, (vi.) Rossella antartica, Carter, 
first described from specimens brought home by Sir James Ross, was 
taken by the Challenger at stations 145 and 150, and again off 
Buenos Aires ; (vii.) Bathydorus spinosus, F.E.S., from station 147; 
(vill) Aulocalyax irregularis, F.E.S., from stations 147 and 145 and 
from station 56, south of the Bermudas. Belonging to the family 
Ayvstowguatipx, (ix.) Hyalonema conus, F.E.S., from station 158; 
(s.) Stylocalyx clavigerum, F.E.S., from station 147. Belonging to the 
family Farrer, (xi.) Farrea, sp.,from station 147. Belonging to the 
family Cosciworrp., (xii.) Chonelasma lamella, F.1.S., from station 148, 
and from the same station (xiii.) Hexactinella, sp., belonging to the 
family Trerrovicryinz. The deep-sea members of this group possess 
sume of the most beautiful skeletons found amongst Sponges. 
The deep-sea Monaxonipa differ from the shallow-water members 
of the group in that whereas the latter are without any definite sym- 
metrical form, “in the abyssal species a perfectly definite and usually 
symmetrical external form is almost invariably present.” The 
following bathybial species were found in our region :—(xiv.) 
LEsperella mammiformis, R. & D., the soft parts crowded with 
Diatoms; (xv.) Esperiopsis profunda, R. & D.; (xvi.) Cladorhiza 
tridentata, R. & D.; (xvii.) Meliiderma stipitata, R. & D. The four 
genera just mentioned belong to the family Deswacroovmw.sz, and all 
of them, together with the two genera which follow, were taken 
at station 147; (xviii.) Azinella erecta, R. & D., of the family 
Axwettmws, a very variable and very widely distributed species ; 
it has been taken between the Farée Islands and the Shetlands, as 
far south as station 147, and at many intermediate points; (xix.) 
Stylocordyla stipitata, Carter, of the family Svszxrrm.x, like the 
preceding species, extends throughout the Atlantic, and its bathy- 
metrical range is also very extensive, extending from 7 to 1600 
fathoms; (xx.) Cladorhiza moruliformis, R. & D., was taken at 
Station 157. Of the preceding genera, Cladorhiza, Meliiderma and 
Stylocordyla are characteristically deep-sea forms, which are rarely or 
never met with in shallow water. 
Of the TETRACTINELLIDA only one species was taken at any great 
depth in our area:—(xxi.) Thenea delicata, Sol., of the family 
Tuenews, was taken at station 147. 
