Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

SPONGIIDA. 411time I forbear to assign a specific name ; it appears not to havebeen described before. It also resembles Spom/ia plancella, Lamarck(a Chalinid with strong fibre and smaller spicules), externally.Future researches will, no doubt, prove this to be adistinct species, to which the name Reniera infundibularis may begiven.Hab. Thursday Island, Torres Straits, 4-6 fms. ;rock.44. Reniera, sp.bottom sand andHoneycombed. An imperfect specimen. From an incrustingbase arise narrow trabeculaj, which meet above and enclose meanderingchannels, 3 to 5 millim. in diameter. The aspect of the massis that of a piece of wood almost reduced to fragments by someboring animal, or of a much folded piece of chamois-leather. Textureof sponge in spirit compact, brittle ; colour very pale bufi\Surface (apart from the large ridges and canals) even, smooth. Mainskeleton — general arrangement rectangular near surface, irregularnear base ; spicules of fibre very loosely aggregated ; both primaryand secondary fibres bi- to nmltispicular, primary fibres '14 to -18millim. apart. Lines of growth very apparent. Dermal skeleton a1- to 2-serial network of spicixles, with triangular polygonal meshes.Sarcode very pale buff, opaque. Spicules smooth acerate, slightlycurved, tapering to sharp points from about three diameters fromends ; size '2 by •0085 millim.I can find no such species described from Australia, and I knowof no European form like it.Hah. Port Darwin, 8-12 fms,PELLINA.Schmidt, Sponr/. Atl. Geh. p. 41.The want of regularity and definiteness in the structure andarrangement of the fibres, and the large size of the spicules, appearto me to be more distinctive attributes of Pellina than Schmidt'scharacter, viz. the possession of a distinct dermis ; but it is to speciescombining a reticular dermis with these two characters that I hereapply the name.45. Pellina muricata. (Plate XXXIX. fig. J ;Plate XLI. fig. v' .)Aggregations of irregularly united short parallel tubes, 6 to 10millim. in diameter, lumen 3 to 7 millim. across ; tubes cylindrical,summit usually widely open. Surface asperated with sharp monticularpoints, 1 to 2 millim. high ;glabrous between and over bases of points.Texture in spirit firm, slightly compressible, but somewhat brittle.Surface harsh to touch ; normal colour apparently pale brown.Main skeleton composed of compact spiculo-fibre, the spiculesunited by a colourless transparent substance : the primary fibres