78 



MR. H. J. CARTER ON A COLLECTION OF 



be almost identical with the British species. Like that species 

 of Donatia from Acapulco which I have designated " multifida" 

 and its southern varieties especially (e. g. those from the Cape 

 and Australia), a stellate spicule of intermediate size between 

 the large globate and small one, with no body and with long, 

 pointed and spined rays (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1882, vol. ix. 

 p. 361, pi. 12. figs. 22 d and 23), is also present, and seems to be 

 chiefly confined to the interior structure of the sponge in all, where 

 it is thus analogous to the larger stellate of the interior of Geodia. 



Stelletta bacilllfera, n. sp. (Plate VI. figs. 9-14.) 



Compact, globular, sessile. Consistence hard, crisp. Colour 

 light grey. Surface even, composed of the trifid heads of the 

 " zone-spicule " in bundles supporting a crust of minute flesh- 

 spicules, and forming a cribriform dermal structure between the 

 " groups " into which the pores are arranged ; vents not seen. 

 Internal structure confused in the centre, radiating towards the 

 circumference. Spiculation (as is usual in these sponges) con- 

 sisting of six forms, viz. : — 1, " body-spicule," large, acerate, 

 fusiform, sharply curved and sharp-pointed ; 2, " zone-spicule," 

 also large, trifid, smooth, sharp-pointed, arms spread out laterally 

 and slightly directed outwards ; 3 and 4, the usual " anchors and 

 forks " (anchoring-spicules), wdth much longer shafts, but much 

 more delicate in every way ; 5, minute flesh-spicule of the sur- 

 face, bacilliform, more or less fusiform, microspined ; 6, minute 

 flesh-spicule of the interior, a delicate stellate, as usual. No. 1, 

 in some numbers, forms the body or centre, becoming mixed 

 with no. 2, the zone-spicule, towards the circumference, where the 

 latter in bundles, arranged vertically to the surface, supports by 

 its outstretched arms the crust, which is formed of no 5, while 

 the delicate no. 6 is confined to the sarcode of the interior. 

 Size of specimen which, although small, is very perfect, 4- inch 

 in horizontal and J inch in vertical diameter. 



JJab. Growing on hard objects. 



Loc. King Island. 



Obx. The bacilliform flesh-spicule of the surface is the chief 

 distinguishing character of this species; but that is a common 

 feature of certain specimens in the Bowerbank Collection which 

 dome from the S. coast of AuHtralia, where it is often very large 

 comparatively, being in some specimens 13 by 1| -6000th inch in 



