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

Sl'ONGIIDA, 415primary fibres run vertically to surface, mostly into the surfacepoints; these are connected below by long secondary fibres, approximatelyat right angles to them ; internal skeleton consisting chiefly oflong more or less curved spiculo-fibrcs and membranous expansions,containing non-aggregated spicules, surrounding rounded spaces.Dermal skeleton formed by the projection of the ends of the primarymain-skeleton lines ; the spaces between these are occupied bynumerous spicules irregularly scattered over the membrane whichcovers the surface, occasionally aggregated into irregular loose paucispiculartracts. Sarcode of interior reddish brown (darkest aroundthe fibres), rather granular, of conuli very dark opaque red-brownSpicules smooth acerate, very slightly curved, tapering to sharppoints from about three diameters from ends ; size -14 by "0063millim.Ilah. Albany Island, Northern Australia, 3-4 fms. ; bottommud.A specimen and a fragment, both in spirit, the former 45 millim.(14. inch) high by 40 millim. across ; a 8cr])ida is imbedded in thelower part, which forms (from anastomosis) almost one continuousmass, and small specimens of Serialaria are growing on it. Thetenacity of the internal fibres and membranes shows the presence ofa stronger element than ordinary sarcode ; but horny outlines arenot to be distinguished on the fibres, although the sarcode is darkerhere.It is nearly allied to Hymcniaeidon brctti and tJiomasi, Bowerbank(British seas) ; but the spicules of these species are far longer thanthose here, and the surface-roughness does not extend to the productionof the characteristic hair-like points found here, whichresemble those of Easpongia. Dr. Gray (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 518)retains these species in lieniern, with most of the acerate-spiculedspecies of Hymenlacidon described by Bowerbank ; Schmidt (Atl.Geb. p. 76) assigns them to Amorphina. Protoschmidtia foraminosa,Czerniavsky (Bull. Soc. Mosc. 1879, p. 98), Black Sea, agreesin the proportions and forms of its spicules, in colour, &c., diff"eringmainly in its much less rough surface and distinct vents ; so I placethis species in the same genus in preference to Amorpliina, which,if Ilalichondna panicea is to be regarded as typical of its structure,should include forms with a distinctly reticulate dermalskeleton and absence of tough and deeply coloured sarcode from thefibres.51 . Schmidtia variabilis. (Plate XXXIX. fig. N ;Plate XLI. fig. t.)Decumbent ; consisting of elongated horizontal (sometimes verticallyflattened-out) lobes of very irregular, more or less angularoutline, sometimes branching and anastomosing ; the upper marginrises at intervals into low elevations, which consist of thick-walled,wide, rounded tubes, 3 to 7 millim. in diameter at the mouth,within which the true vents unite at about 6 millim. below mouth ;