166 Venus 3 Flower-basket. 



Towards the base of the writer's specimen the vertical 

 bundles of fibres separate and form a loose mass, readily 

 capable of holding extraneous matter, and anchoring the entire 

 structure. The fibres at this end are all, or nearly all, more or 

 less jagged, so much so that they feel rough to the touch. In 

 this respect they differ from the smoother fibres of the Hyalo- 

 nema, which do not hackle together or combine in any way, 

 but are like a slightly twisted bundle of glass hairs. 



The Euplectella was supposed, until lately, to be very rare ; 

 but now stories are told of its being frequently found and 

 offered cheaply at Manilla. It is to be hoped that some 

 naturalist on the spot will inquire into its mode of growth, 

 and send us specimens, preserved, as far as possible, in their 

 natural state. When covered with sarcode they might be less 

 beautiful than in the artificially-prepared state in which they 

 usually reach us, but many important particulars can only be 

 ascertained by studying the sponge in that condition. When 

 portions of clean Euplectella fibres are under the microscope 

 they shine with a glassy lustre with reflected light, and exhibit 

 the transparency of glass hairs when transmitted light is em- 

 ployed. Spicules, properly so called, do not seem to enter 

 importantly in the construction of the frame-work — at least it 

 would be scarcely correct to give that name to very long fibres 

 which have thorDy projections, or to other long fibres united by 

 various silicious processes to similar fibres in their vicinity. 



The high refractive power of the silicious threads gives rise 

 to the opaque porcellanous aspect which the Euplectella exhibits 

 when seen from a little distance. It is the most elegant of 

 known sponges, and will be the delight of judicious collectors, 

 even though a larger supply of specimens should reduce its 

 price. 



