SPONGES FROM THE MERGIII ARCHIPELAGO. 



73 



into short tubular processes. Consistence fragile. Colour yel- 

 lowish white. Surface even, presenting the usual characteristic, 

 viz. a beautiful, lace-like, stellar dermal reticulation covering au 

 apparently confused broken-up fibrous interior. Yents scattered 

 over the surface and at the ends of the tubular processes respec- 

 tively. Internal structure fibrous, traversed by the brandies of 

 the excretory canal-system, which open at the vents mentioned. 

 Spicules of four forms, viz. : — 1, skeletal, acuate, smooth, slightly 

 curved, sharp-pointed ; head obtuse and smaller in diameter than 

 the shaft and not inflated, 290 by 9-6000ths inch in its greatest di- 

 mensions, obtuse end 4-6000ths inch in diameter ; 2, flesh-spicule, 

 inequianchorate, shaft straight except towards the ends, where it 

 is bent forwards to meet the arms, which at the large end are 

 each prolonged into an angular sharp point towards the centre, 

 where they are slightly everted ; while at the small end, which is 

 round, the lateral ones are short and the central one only 

 pointed; shaft of the larger forms about 3-6000ths inch in 

 transverse diameter, total length 31-6000ths, large head 14- 

 6000th s and small one 7-6000ths inch in length ; 3, flesh-spicule, 

 simple, elongated C- and S-shaped (bihamates), more or less 

 contort, about 22 by If -6000th inch in its greatest dimensions; 

 4, flesh-spicule, minute acerates in sheaves (fig. 6), or isolated 

 after disintegration of the sheaves, of various lengths, less than 

 35-6000ths inch. No tricurvates and no minute equianchorates 

 seen. Size of largest specimen about 9 by 4 inches horizontally, 

 and 3 inches high. No. 28, although not nearly so long, is 

 somewhat higher, and is prolonged upwards into short tubular 

 processes. 



Sab. Incrusting and enveloping hard objects. 

 Zoc. King Island. 



Obs. The larger spicules of this species, together with the 

 peculiar form of the arms of the inequianchorate and the absence 

 of the tricurvate form and minute equianchorate, distinguish 

 it from the last mentioned. I have designated it li indica" 

 on account of the inequianchorate being almost identical in form 

 with that represented by Schmidt from an Indian species (Spong. 

 Adriat. Meeres, Supp. 1, tab. iii. fig. 11) ; but still more satis- 

 factorily by Schmidt's slide of the actual specimen in the British 

 Museum. The spicule is also like that of his E. diaphana from 

 the coast of Florida. 



