462 FRISTEDT, SPONG ES. 
Habitat. ”Eeast-coast of Greenland, depth 350 fathoms (500 
5); Greenland, N.W. from Cape York, depth 5—10 fathoms 
(540 5S.); East-coast of Greenland, depth 130 fathoms (580 5.); 
Noörtheape, Lat. 71” 13 N., Long. 26? 2' E., depth 180 fathoms 
(AV IN DI 
Whether Hymeraphia vermiculata Bow. is a young form of 
an Åzxinella O. S. or not, I am not able to decide, since I have 
had no specimen of Hymeraphia vermiculata Bow. for comparison. 
As for Hymeraphia vermiculata Bow. var. ereeta Carter, I am 
quite convinced that this variety as well as Axinella rugosa 
Bow. (O. 5.) 1s.a true Axinella O:S: The reasons 1 favor 
of this are, the well developed axis, ramuli radiating from it, 
and the spicules, which are typical for an Axzxinella O. S. 
Carter also says with regard to this variety: >Internal 
structure consisting of fasciculi branching and subdividing 
obliquely from a central axis amidst the sarcode» etc., thus per- 
fectly demonstrating its inner structure like that of an Azxi- 
nella O. 5. 
Bowerbank's description of the genus Hymeraphia Bow., 
Mon. Brit. Spong., Vol. 1, pag. 189, is following: memo 
basal membrane, whence spring numerous large separate spi- 
cules, which pass through the entire thickness of the sarcodous 
stratum to, or beyond the dermal surface of the sponge.> He 
continues his description: »These pecularities of structure in- 
dicate a common habit of extreme thinness in the species, and 
such is in reality the condition of those with which we are 
acquainted.> And then speaking about all the species of Hyme- 
raphia Bow., described Vol. H, in respect to the thickness, 
he says with regard to H. vermiculata >coating small pebbles. 
None of them exceeded four lines in diameter, and the thick- 
ness not more than that of a sheet of writing paper»; with 
regard to: H. elavata: »coating. thin «oc. It IS excccem oa 
thin, and, in the dried state, can only be distinguished from 
the dark periostracum of the shell by the grains of extraneous 
matter, which are abundant on its surface. . . . >»; with regard 
to H. verticellata: »coatimg ... -. about two lines mm tlckaess 
>»; H. stellifera: »coating . —-.. exceedingly thintEarees 
it is evident, that the species described by Carter as H. vernmi- 
culata Bow. var. erecta Carter is a true Axinella O. S. separated 
from the genus Hymecraplua. 
Probably H. vermiculata Bow. is also only a young form of 
a species, that cannot but be an Axinella O. S. There is also 
