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

—SPONGIIUA. 447specimens recall strongly, from their habit and size, the figure of thisspecies given by Esper (Pflanzcnth. ii. \A. xlv.), with which Yosmaer'sspecimen was at first erroneously identified.The following are the leading points in the external characters :The specimens are abundantly branched, the stems and branchesare cither roughly cylindrical below (usually flattened at theends), greatest diameter about 9 millim. in the cylindrical, 12 to14 millim. in the compressed parts. Anastomosis frequent, producedby lateral adhesion of branches, sometimes forming broadexpansions of sponge-substance. Surface entirely broken up by asystem of anastomosing, more or less sharp, usually jagged ridges,2 to 3 millim. high, often drawn up into prominent detached points.Texture in dry state subelastic, firm, harsh to touch. Maximumextent of largest specimen 180 millim. (7^ inches). Skeleton : indicationsof horny matter in fibres slight and infrequent ; fibres usuallywholly composed of the smooth skeleton-spicule, about 8 spiculesbroad, and sparingly echinated by the spined cylindrical form.Spicules : I cannot find any spinulates, those which Vosmaer describesare perhaps young forms of the smooth acuate ; nor do I findthe smooth cylindrical which he places Avithin brackets,(1) The skeleton smooth acuate, has a well-rounded head and tapersgradually to a sharp point ; size -25 by -0127 to -28 by -0095 millim,(2) Smooth acuate, occasionally echinating, measures -22 by•0127 millim.(3) The spined echinating cylindrical tapers to the smaller bluntend; the spines project directly outwards from the shaft and areabout equally distributed over the whole spicules ;size -070 by -OOGBmillim.(4) Equianchorate, -019 millim. long.Colour, in dry state, grey or very pale brown.Yosmaer's description being short and merely preliminary, 1 havethought it well to give the chief details (although I hope he willhimself figure or further describe his species) to obviate any futureuncertainty as to the identity of the present form.Hah. Thursday Island, Prince of AYules Channel, Torres Straits,3-7 fms. ; common.Distribution. Moluccas ( Vosmaer).Vosmaer states that his specimen is unbranched.Clathria reinwardti,Vosmaer, var. palmata.It is not surprising to find Clathria exhibiting individual variationin its external form of a character similar to that which occurs inthe nearly allied genus Echinonema. As in that genus the samespecies may be either cylindrical or semipalmate, so here. In thiscollection occur two specimens from one locality, which, though differinggreatly in form from each other, have the same colour, asurface of similar character, and agree closely in spiculation.The one arises from a stout, laterally compressed, short pedicle,and expands rapidly into a fan-shaped but rather thick expansion.