450 
way, but they never run unbroken from the center to the surface, 
they are always here and there bent and fusing into secondary 
ones. 
Spicules. 1. Oxea (fig. 8b), slightly bent, cylindrical for the 
greater part; the apices sharp-pointed, rather abruptly set off. Length 
from 78—91 fi often 81 //, thickness ca. G p. 2. Sigma ta (fig. 
8 c), evenly C-shaped, seldom a little contorted, rather 
scarce; 26 —34 p from curvature to curvature, ca. 2 
thick. 
This species is closely related to G. flagelliformis 
Brstd., and G. flliformis Brstd., both from the South Sea 
(Auckland- and Campbell Islands) (Brøndsted 1923. 
(1)); the oxea are pointed as in the latter, of even 
thickness as in the former, a little larger than in both 
forms. Perhaps they will prove to belong to the same 
species when more extensive material is at hånd. 
Halichondria reticulata nov. spec. 
(Fig. 9.) 
Wellington Harbour. 5—10 fathoms. Hard bottom. 
16/11.1915. 
One specimen, lumpshaped; growing on a little 
stone and a shell. 5 mm high. Dark*brown. Surface 
glabrous. With a pocket-lens one can see the very 
beautiful reticulate dermal-skeleton through the thin 
dermal-membrane. Numerous oscula are spread over 
the surface; they are from V 4 —1 mm in diameter; 
the oscular rim is slightly elevated, made firm by the 
densely packed spicules in it. Consistence firm. 
Skeleton. The main skeleton consists of fairly well 
developed spicular'fibres running in every direction, 
though tending to reach the surface under more or less 
right angles; the distal ends of these fibres embrace 
the very numerous dermal-cavities. The fibres are of various thick¬ 
ness, the spicules lying in rows of one to, say, ten, side by side. 
Many isolated spicules lying pell-mell give, however, the typically 
Halichondrioid aspect to the skeleton. The dermal skeleton is sup- 
porled by the main one; it is beautifully developed; the oxea are 
Fig. 9. Hali- 
chondria re¬ 
ticulata, 
nov. spec. 
Oxea. 
