147 
Skeleton consists of indistinct spicula-tracts, as one may say, 
rather than of spiculo-fibres; they are constantly now dissolved, 
now again drawn together; they do not appear as distinet fibres 
well marked off against the loosely scattered spicules in the choan- 
osom, but in every place without clear outlines, passing over the 
quite disorderly scattered spicules. The direction of the tracts is 
also very varying, practically running in every direction, though it 
may be pointed out, that tracts directed towards the surface may 
be regarded as „main fibres" ; these latter often form conical pro- 
jections (the small mammiform processes mentioned above) sub¬ 
sisting of spicules placed against one another as guns in a pile of 
arms. There is a rather stout dermal-skeleton consisting of several 
layers of dense entangled spicules parallel with the surface, but 
otherwise without any particularly prevalent direction. 
Spicules: (fig. 24) styli; slightly bent in the first half; rather 
evenly thick for the greater part, somewhat abruptly pointed; some- 
times beginnings of tylostyli. Length very mueh varying, from 160 
403 /a; lengths about 195 and 350 p/ are the most common; 
thickness ca. 9—11 p. 
Genus Axinella O. Schm. 
Axinella torquata nov. sp. 
Carnley Harbour. 45 f. Sandy clay. 6/XII.1914. 
Five specimens. Very irregularly lump-shaped; grows with nar¬ 
row protuberances, with tendency towards curving and twisting, so 
that the apices of protuberances again unite with the sponge-body, 
and in this way irregular canals and apertures are being built. 
Greatest extension ca. 30 mm. Surface very finely hispid, sligthly 
and irregularly furrowed, on account of the subdermal-cavities, into 
which the dermal-membrane has sunk a little; this latter rather 
thick and brittle because of the tangentially lying spicules which 
sustain it. Oscula, ostia? Colour grayish-yellow, darker above the 
subdermal-cavities. 
Skeleion consists of tolerably well defined spicula-fibres of var- 
ious thickness, often ca. 80 p thick; they are running towards the 
surface, and the spicules hardly pierce the dermal-membrane; as 
the fibres are running along they are constantly sending off 
10* 
