ACCOUNT OF BRITISH SPONGES. 81 



5. Hispida, With long, slender, round, dicho- 

 tomous branches, covered with stiff hairs. 

 Plate V. 



This slender branched sponge appears as if it 

 sometimes grew horizontally on each side from the 

 point of adhesion, which is very slight ; in this 

 case, both ends become branched. Others rise 

 perpendicular from the base, which is attached to 

 old shells ; in some instances several stalks origi- 

 nate from the same spreading base, but are rare- 

 ly connected : th€ branches are nearly round, ex- 

 cept where they divaricate. Three, and sometimes 

 four subdivisions take place in the larger speci- 

 mens ; the points of the subdivisions are sub- 

 acute. Length, a foot or more. 



When recent, contains a great deal of gelatinous 

 flesh, and is of a yellowish-brow^n colour, becom- 

 ing darker as it dries. The only specimens that 

 have occurred, were taken off the coast of Devon 

 by the trawl ; rare. 



The description given of S, tupha, would to- 

 lerably well accord with this, had not that species 

 been stated to be soft, whereas this is hard, and 

 not composed of so fine a texture as S. oculata, 

 and is thickly muricated with hairs. 



VOL, II. 



F 



