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

;460 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA.The general form, the large development of acuate spicules, andthe echination by the long acuate spicules ally the species moreclosely to RaspaiUa (Bicti/oc)/Undnis) than to EcMnoclictijum ; thecylindrical form of the spined spicule agrees with the latter genusbut the share taken by the acuate spicule in the formation of thefibre is conclusive as to its belonging to RaspaiUa.Subgenus Syeingella, Schmidt.In the description, in the Spong.Kiiste Algier., at p. 10, of a speciesfrom Algiers, named by him RaspaiUa syriiir/ella, Prof. Schmidt saysthat it diverges remarkably from the type of RaspaiUa, having butone form of spicule (spinulate) and (in the case of one specimen) awell-marked vent ; he does not definitely form a new genus to containit, but suggests that if the two characters referred to should,with further material, prove constant, a genus should be formedfor the species, and named Syringella. Fresh material has nowappeared, from which I describe the two following species. Althoughthe spicular character of Schmidt's species is (essentially) reproducedin them, that of the presence of a vent is not ; therefore, although Iconsider the group for which Prof. Schmidt provisionally proposedthe name Si/rinr/ella to be of suhgeneric value, I do not feel justifiedin separating it generically from RaspaiUa. The group may bedefined as differing from RaspaiUa in the absence of the spinedacuate spicule. In the following species the skeleton-spicule hasusually lost the head, which R. syringella retains well developed.It is interesting to find this suhgeneric type so widely distributed.88. RaspaiUa (Syringella) australiensis.(Plate XLII. figs. m,m'.)Erect, unbranched, consisting of a single, slender, cylindricalcolumn, tapering very gradually from about two thirds of theheight to the base on the one hand and to the rounded freeextremity on the other ; diameter at base and summit about halfthat of the thickest portion of the stem. Surface in spirit semigelatinousin appearance under lens, and minutely pilose and velvetlike; it is corrugated by closely set, irregularly interrupted, longitudinalridges. The sponge is, as a whole, tough and elastic ; thecorrugated superficial layer loose and fragile, its greatest thicknessabout 1 raillim. Colour in spirit dirty white. The stem is formedby a dense flexible rod of a dull yellow colour and smooth surface.Vents not perceptible to naked eye or lens. Skeleton of axis consistingof a close network of tracts of skeleton-spicules, the tractsmostly arranged longitudinally, and connected by smaller tracts setat oblique angles to them (as in Axinella, Schmidt, but much closertogether) ; tracts often confluent, at most only -15 milHm. apart ; nosoft substance is apparent uniting the spicules. Skeleton of corticalsoft layer consisting of fascicles of skeleton - spicules, radiating