376 A MONOGRAPH OF THE 



spiculuiu beneath the distal points of the hispidating fasci- 

 culi of spicula, which are the distal terminations of the 

 primary lines of the skeleton. There were no indications 

 of a dermal reticulation, nor could I detect a single tension 

 spiculum in any part of the dermal membrane that 1 ex- 

 amined. The texture of the skeleton is close and compact, 

 and the primary hues are separated by rarely more than 

 the length of a single spiculum ; the fibre is well produced, 

 and amply covered with keratode. The interstitial mem- 

 branes do not appear to prevail in all parts of the interior 

 of the sponge, but the detached patches of it observed were 

 well covered with a dark amber-coloured sarcode, in which 

 no tension spicula could be detected, nor could any such be 

 found among the spicula obtained by the dissolution of a 

 portion of the sponge by boiling in nitric acid. 



The spicula of this species are rather long, and of greater 

 diameter than those of C. Montaguii ; a large-sized one 

 measured jijth inch in length, and ^^^th inch in diameter. 



I have dedicated this species to my friend Dr. Grant, as 

 a slight acknowledgment of the valuable services he has 

 rendered to science by his lucid demonstrations of the ana- 

 tomy, physiology, and natural habits of the British species 

 of sponges. 



8. Chalina seriata, Bowerbanlc. 



Halichondeia sekiata, Johnston. 

 Spowgia sebiaia, Orani. 



Sponge. Sessile, coating ; surface even, more or less 

 minutely hispid, by the fasciculi of the distal termi- 

 nations of the primary lines, and by the projection of 

 single spicula at right angles from the secondary lines, 

 at the surface of the skeleton. Oscula simple, nume- 

 rous, nearly equidistant. Pores inconspicuous. Der- 

 mal membrane, sparingly spiculous ; spicula slender, 

 sub-fusiformi acuatej and slender tricurvate acerate. 

 Skeleton. Primary fibres stout, abundantly armed; 



