12 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 



The larger holes in it indicate where the larger canals were lo- 

 cated. In most of the fossil sponges these fibers of the skeleton 

 were made of lime or flint, and are known as calcisponges and 

 silicisponges, respectively. The spicules are often compound 

 and possess several points. Some are simple, like a needle 

 pointed at each end ; some have three points, some four, and 

 some six ; some are anchor-shaped and some are dagger-shaped. 

 Most sponges are attached to rocks or other objects during 

 their life, but some are free. They inhabit both fresh and\ salt 

 water, but are, for the most part, found in the sea, in moder- 

 ately shallow water. The only fossil sponges known from the 

 Kansas rocks are calcisponges in which the spicules are rarely 



preserved. 



SOMPHOSPONGIA. 



Beede, Kans. Univ. Quart., VIII, p. 128, (1899). 



A globular to mushroom-shaped calcisponge, attaining a large 

 size, and generally possessing a more or less spherical-shaped 

 cloaca near the base ; the canals are all very irregular and 

 crooked, distributed over the entire surface, and moderately 

 large. A rather thick dermal layer is present. They were 

 free, apparently resting with the base in the mud in the adult 

 stage. 



Somphospongia multiformis. Plate I, figs. 6-10; plate II, figs. 1-5. 



Sompho8X>ongia multiformis Beede, Kans. Univ. Quart., viii, p. 128, pi. 

 xxxin, ff. 1-10, ( ~ 



A small to very large sponge, varying in form from globular 

 to mushroom-shaped, free, and gregarious. Connecting with 

 the cloaca there is an irregular, branching canal system, which 

 communicates with the exterior over the whole surface, though 

 in large individuals they are smaller and probably nearly use- 

 less at the base. These canals are very irregular in shape, and, 

 when viewed on the^surface, appear to be labyrinthine; they 

 become smaller and less numerous as they proceed inward to- 

 ward the cloaca. When not worn the entire sponge is covered 

 with a moderately thick dermal layer, the folds in which form 

 the walls of the canals. There is no sign of attachment in any 

 of our specimens, and the young ones seem to have rolled about 



