BRITISH SPONGIAD^. 81 



Genus — Ciocalypta, Bowerbank. 



1. CiocALTPTA PENiciLLUs, Bowerbauk. 



Sponge. Massive, sessile, composed of numerous closely- 

 packed, attenuating, penicillate branches rising perpen- 

 dicularly from a common base; branches gradually 

 attenuating, occasionally bifurcating near the apex; 

 apices rather obtuse, entirely closed. Oscula simple, 

 small, dispersed ; largest and most numerous near the 

 base of the sponge, minute on the branches. Pores 

 inconspicuous, dispersed, numerous. Dermal mem- 

 brane smooth, abundantly spiculous, same as those of 

 the skeleton, fasciculated, forming a strong irregular 

 reticulation. Skeleton. Spicula fusiformi - acuate, 

 stout, variable in size. 



Colour. — Alive, light gray. 



Habitat. — Diamond Trawling Ground, oflF Hastings. 



Hxamined. — Alive. 



This sponge is four inches in height, and three and a 

 half inches in average diameter. It is nearly cylindrical 

 and has much the form it would have attained had it been 

 grown in a short half-pint drinking mug. 



The penicillate branches originate on the basal mem- 

 brane of the sponge, and are cemented to each other late^ 

 rally for about two thirds of their height, and sorne of the 

 marginal ones for nearly or quite the whole of their length, 

 the greater portion of them attenuate gradually to their 

 apices, but a few of them bifurcate irregularly at about half 

 an inch from their summits. In the living condition their 

 surface is slightly rugged or tuberculated, the impinging of 

 the distal terminations of the pedicels within causing 

 this appearance, and this character is much exaggerated m 



