VEGA-EXPEDITIONENS VETENSKAPLIGA ARBETEN. 449 
very fragile. Oscula tolerably small, dispersed. The colour is 
nut-brown or blackish-brown. 
Habitat. Spitzbergen, Vaigat-islands, Lat. 79? 20' N., Long. 
19 35 W., depth 60 fathoms (Sp.; the number of the stat. un- 
known). 
Esperia lingua Bow. (0. 51). 
Hymeniacidon lingua, Bowerbank, Mon. Brit Spong., II, pag. 187. 
Raphiodesma lingua, id. ibidem, III, Plate 47, fig. 8 and Plate 77. 
Hsperia lingua, O. Sehmidt, Grundzäge einer Spongienfauna des Atl. Geb., 
PAST: | 
There is no difference between the arctic specimens of this 
species and specimens from the west-coast of Sweden and 
Norway. The specimens are large and formless, the largest 
feims about 120 mm in length, and only a little smaller in 
CC 
breadth. The thickness is 40 mm. The colour is yellow. 
Habitat. Greenland, Lat Of 15 Ni bong: 492 11-W.;, depth 
föRathoms (06) 55; Hat. 5933 N. Long. 432-25, W, depth. 120 
fathoms (576 5.) | 
Esperia lingua Bow. (O. 5.) var. arctica n. var. 
Plate 25, fig. 20—24, Plate 29, fig. 18. 
At first I was doubtful, whether I should regard this 
variety as a true species distinct from Esperia lingua Bow. 
(0. 5), or as a variety. But there is so great a resemblance 
between our new variety and Esperia lingua Bow. (0. S.), that 
I at last decided to regard our specimens only as a variety. 
The sponge is inerusting hard objects, as worm-tubes, stones, 
shells ete. - the surtace is smooth, furnished with numerous 
knolls. Oscula are small, dispersed. The consistency is fragile 
as in Esperia lingua Bow. (O. S.). The largest specimen is 50 mm 
in length, 30 mm in breadth and 25 mm in thickness. The 
knolls are about 3 mm in hight and of the same diameter. 
Skeleton. The skeleton consists of acuate spicules, of 
linear acuate, of inequianchorate spicules of two kinds and of 
bihamate spicules. 
Bd LV 9 
IN 
