OCR Text |
Show 118 ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS MADE DURING [Jan. 4, three specimens, were already in the Museum collection, and are evidently pieces of those mentioned by Dr. Cunningham at p. 481 of his ' Notes on the Natural History of the Strait of Magellan.' The following are their chief characters, arranged for comparison with those of the type specimen. It cannot, unfortunately, be determined which pieces formed part of the same original specimens :- No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 (most of surface gone). No. 6 No. 7 Type specimen from Sandy Pt. Subspinulate spicule. Shape as in type; •497 mm. long by •01267. Ditto Ditto Shape as in type; •4615 mm. by •01267. As in No. 1 Shape as in type; •488 mm. by •01267. •544 by -01267 mm. Inequianchorate spicule. Shape as in type; -04434 mm. long. Shape as in type; •05384 ram. long. Shape as in type; •04434 mm. long. Shape as in type; •05067 mm. long. As in No. 1 ... Shape as in type; •047506 mm. long. Shape asin type; •05067 mm. long. •0475 m m . long. Bundles of Acerates. Scarce; '057 m m . long. (Curved, very scarce; -07842 mm. long?) ? Very scarce, generally scattered; •06334 m m . long. Very scarce; •042339 m m . long. Very scarce; •044339 m m . long. Ditto Scarce; '057 ram. long. Other characters. Surface ridged rather than papillose. Surface do. Surface do.; vents ? Surface papillose in one part, ridged in another. Surface the same; a large internal cavity. Apparently 2 vents. Surface ridged. Vents 3? Surface ridged and papillose. Vents 2 ? Surface mostly papillose. Vents 2. All possess an abundance of the characteristic dark pigment, but concentrated at the centres of well-defined cells, whereas in the spirit specimen from Magellan's Straits it is generally, though not always, scattered over the cells. It is very probable that the wrinkled or ridged character presented by the dermis of most of the dried specimens is due to the fact of their having been dried. In all cases except that of the extraordinarily broad specimen No. 6, the external characters of shape, surface-reticulation, and colour agree very closely in all the dried specimens, and must be almost, if not quite, identical with those which would he presented by the spirit specimen if it were dried. Obs. This Sponge belongs to the section of Esperia which is devoid of bihamate flesh-spicules. It is to be wished that a distinct genus were formed for the reception of the numerous forms which belong to it. Possibly Phaphidotheca, Kent, may ultimately be found to satisfy the requirements of the case {cf. Mr. Carter's remarks in the Joum. Roy. Micr. Soc. ii. p. 498) ; but until the questions which are suggested by the description of the type species |