VEG A-EXPEDITIONENS VETENSKAPLIGA ARBETEN. 459 
Vega. The shape of the sponge agrees well with the figure 
of Clathria coppingeri S. O. Ridley, given in »Report on the 
Zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean during 
the voyage of H. M. S. »Alert» 1881—1882», pag. 445, Plate 40, 
as. EF It is erect, irregularly ramous. The branches; issumg 
from a tolerably short, firm pedicle, are divided into nume- 
rous slender branches. These branches are united by lateral 
branches, forming a net-work of subgquadrangular cells, which 
are often filled up with the softer sponge-substance. The 
pedicle and the branches are of a very firm consistency. 
The other tissue is soft. Oscula and pores are not visible. 
The length of the specimen represented by figure 24 in Plate 30 
Ström and? its vreadth about 160 mm. — Phe thickness is 
tO0rmm. The diameter of the pedicle is 15: mm, that of the 
branches only 2 mm. The sponge is attached to stones and 
other hard objects, growing as an Azimella O. S: The basal 
attachment of this sponge is expanded. 
The skeleton consists of acuate (sometimes subspinulate) 
spicules and of inequianchorate spicules. 
The acuate spicules (Plate 25, fig. 70) are straight or slightly 
curved, smooth, tapering from the middle towards the base and 
the sharp point. They are sometimes slightly inflated at the 
base. The length is 0,35—0,45 mm. 
The inequwianchorate spicules (Plate 25, fig. TI, 72) are of two 
kinds. The large ones are congregated in rosette-shaped groups, 
resembling those of Esperia lingua Bow. (O. 5.), the spicules of 
each rosette of Clathria however being fewer. The length is 
0,1 min. These rosettes are very numerous in the inner, softer 
membranes. 
The smaller anchorate spicules are not congregated in rosettes; 
their length is only 0035 mm. . They occur dispersed in a very 
considerable number. 
I have seen a few minute acerate spicules, trichites, the 
length being 0,05 mm, in only one small portion of the sponge 
preserved in Canada-balsam; but I have not figured these spi- 
cules, as they are so few, and possibly do not belong to this 
species. 
