Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 January 2013
Although, from the careful descriptions which have been given by several competent naturalists, we may now consider ourselves tolerably well acquainted with the structure of the dainty siliceous skeletons of this and several allied Hexactinellid Sponges, this is by no means the case with their soft tissues ; and the great cause of our imperfect knowledge of these interesting structures is that no observer has hitherto succeeded in procuring a really well-preserved Sponge of this group. It was with pleasure, therefore, that I accepted the offer of the Director of the Challenger Expedition to place some well-preserved examples belonging to different genera in my hands for investigation. Of all the specimens which have been sent to me, some fragments of Euplectella aspergillum in absolute alcohol are much the best preserved, and therefore the best suited for thorough examination. I commence with the description of the soft parts of this well-known and beautiful form, following the classification which has been adopted by Sir Wyville Thomson in his descriptions of the species.
page 662 note * Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., New Series, vol. i. p. 120.
page 662 note † Proc. Zool. Soc, 1869, p. 344.
page 662 note ‡ Prodromus of a Sponge-fauna of the Atlantic region, 1870, p. 13.
page 662 note § Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., New Series, vol. x. p. 139.
page 662 note ║ Zeit. für Wiss. Zool., Band xxv. p. 142.
page 662 note ¶ The Atlantic, p. 136.
page 665 note * For shortness I will call the dainty six-rayed stars, composed of six eight-membered structures like the cup of a flower, “floricomes.”
page 668 note * Ueber Euplectella aspergillum, 1868.
page 669 note * Zeit. für Wiss. ZooL, Band xxxiv.
page 671 note * Zeitschrift für Wissen. Zool., Band xxv. p. 159, and Pl. xiii. fig. 6 Pl. xv. fig. 60.