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

SPONGIIDA. 603pelago, but it has not yet, so far as I am aware, been recognized oneither coast of Africa.1 9. Chalina elongata.? Spongia elongata, Lamarck, Atvn. Mus. Hist. Nat. xx. p. 451.? Spongia lanuginosa; Usper, P/lanzenth. ii. p. 243, pi. xxiv.An erect Chalina, with short common stem and somewhat tortuousbranches, few, tapering to sharp points, uneven in diameterand shape, ranging from 2 (at the tips) te 8 millim. in thickness,cylindrical or compressed, simj^le, or bearing a short incipient orstunted branchlet here and there. Length of branches 20-55millim. Common stem 25 millim. long, compressed, greatest diameter11 millim. Vents? (perhaps -6 to 1 millim. in diameter,few). Mode of branching dichotomous, branches given off at anglesof about 50°. Surface rendered minutely pilose by the projectingends of the primary fibres. Consistence in spirit very soft, compressible,elastic (like that of the finest Turkey sponge) ; colour verypale brown (almost white). Main skeleton rectangular in arrangement;primary fibres "SS-'T miUim. apart, •035--043 millim. indiameter, containing 3-5 series of spicules, with a narrow hornymargin visible ; secondaries -024 millim. thick, with 1 (rarely 2)series of spicules, the fibres at intervals of '18 to -35 millim.Dermal skeleton as main skeleton, but primary fibres only about•14 to "28 millim. apart. Skeleton-fibre pale yellow. Sarcode transparent,almost colourless. Spicule smooth, acerate, straight, taperingfrom one or two diameters from ends to moderately sharp points ;size '13 by -0057 millim.Hub. Darros Island, Amirante group, 22 fms. ; bottom, brokencoral.Two specimens, one 80 millim. (3i inches) high, the other quitelow, their bases growing among some branching Polyzoa. Thespecies agrees with Lamarck's description of his S. elongata so far asit goes, but it is too short to be decisive ; he gives " Mers Australes "as its locality. Esper's figure (Z. c.) strongly resembles it in colourand in the shape of the branches, but his specimen was fromBrittany. Possibly some of the specimens from other localities,which he mentions as belonging to his species, may be identicalwith the present.20. Chalina, sp.A small specimen of a tender repent species, the horny matter ofthe fibres being small in quantity and very pale and transparent.Colour in spirit a fine nut-brown ; consistency soft and very yielding.Surface even, rendered minutely pilose by the ends of the primaryfibres. Branches rather tortuous, subcylindrical, compressed hereand there: greatest diameter (where not aftccted by accidents ofgrowth) 2-0 millim. ; stem similar, diameter about 2*5 millim.Vents orbicular, -5 to 1-5 millim. in diameter, arranged in a serieson one side of sponge, at intervals of about 5 millim. Main