THE GULF-STREAM.
:i|f
sliaped somewhat like an old-fashioned tall champagne
glass. It rests on a very solid hard base of
attachment; it then contracts to a kind of stem, and
then gradually expands upwards to a width at the
top of 40 mm. A deep cavity passes from the
upper open end doAvn to the stem-like constriction.
403
F ig . IQo.— Ophioglypha h u lla la , W y v i l l e T h o m s o n . O ra l a sp e c t. F iv e tim e s th e
size. (No. 54.)
n a tu r a l
The outer surface of the sponge is raised into spiral
ridges somewhat as in Euplectella, and under the
ridges are irregularly spiral lines of large holes.
The interior of the cup presents a very remarkable
character, which reminds one at once of many of the
chalk ventriculites. The inner layer is deeply fluted,
thrown into a series of alternating vertical grooves
and ridges so that the
outline of the cavity in
a transverse section is
deeply sinuous. The
substance of the sponge
throughout is composed
of a close anastomosing
network of s ilic e o u s
fibres; towards the outside
the netAvork much
resembles that of Aphro-
callisles, Avliile on the
inner Avail the structure
is trellis-like, and the
form of the meshes square
and more regular. The
spaces of the netAvork are
croAvded Avith small regular
hexactinellid spicules,
some free, some
cemented to the continuous
skeleton by attachments
of silica. Eor this
beautiful sponge, Avhich
I have every reason to
helieve is nndescribed,
I propose the name
Lefroyella decora.
We anciiored in the *<;<>»■«. w y v i l l e T h o m s o n .
i s a tu r a l size. (No 56.)
I have associated with this species the name of our kind friend
His Excellency Major-General Lefroy, C.B., F.R.S., Governor of
Bermudas.