no.1614. NEW AND OLD CARBONIFEROUS FOSSILS—GIRTY. 289 
specimens. The longitudinal hnes are slightly oblique, rising from the 
cloacal to the exterior surface, and probably shghtly bending out- 
ward as they go. The transverse lines are also oblique and curved, 
having their convex sides uppermost and passing downward from the 
cloaca to the exterior. Between the arms of the large spicules thus 
disposed are freely connecting radial canals which open upon the 
outer surface in small circular pores. What I regard as true ostia 
are absent. 
In general character this genus is very suggestive of Cwlocladia, 
but after due consideration I am fairly satisfied that they are dis- 
tinct. As to the specific distinction of the genotypes there can be no 
question. Both have somewhat the same mode of growth; the 
spicules in both may possibly be hexacts, although in C@locladia 
it seemed more probable that they are tetracts. They are of much 
larger size in Heliospongia ramosa and their arrangement is also 
much more regular. In C@locladia spinosa there is hardly ever : 
trace of the longitudinal and radial lines which make such a striking 
feature in the structure of /Teliospongia ramosa. The latter does 
not show the spine-like ostia of C@locladia, but this would probably 
be only a specific difference were it not that true ostia, I believe, are 
entirely absent from Heliospongia as well as the large canals which 
lead from them, for I can not regard the relatively large canals 
which interrupt the spicular network in C@locladia and terminate 
on the surface in spout-like ostia as homologous with the relatively 
small openings which pass between the arms of the regularly ar- 
ranged spicules in Heliospongia and open upon the surface in the 
characteristic pores. 
Type of the genus.—Heliospongia ramosa. 
HELIOSPONGIA RAMOSA, new species. 
Plate XVI, figs. 8, 9; Plate XVII. 
This species forms large bushy bodies consisting of freely branch- 
ing cylindrical stems which attain a diameter of 23 mm., but are 
usually somewhat smaller. Sometimes the branches are in contact, 
in which case they appear to coalesce, producing, temporarily at least, 
somewhat flabelliform shapes. The individual branches are pierced. 
probably from end to end, by cylindrical cloacee, which are relatively 
of variable size, but usually, if not always, less than one-third the 
entire diameter. 
The spicular element is large and without much doubt a hexact. 
The combined effect of the spicules is to produce more or less continu- 
ous radiating and longitudinal lines. The radiating lines are oblique. 
with the outer end lower than the inner, and they are somewhat 
curved, the convex side uppermost. The longitudinal series of rays 
are also probably somewhat oblique, sloping outward very gradually 
Proc. N. M. vol. xxxiv—08——19 
