XV.—Atlantic Sponges collected by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition

The sponges in the following report were collected in the North and South Atlantic during the Scotia's voyages to and from the Antarctic regions in the years 1902–1904. All the sponges in the collection were obtained off the south-west coast of Cape Colony, with the exception of five well-known species which were taken off St Helena, the Cape Verde Islands, and the Princesse Alice Bank. Only one specimen was dredged in deep water, namely, in 350 fathoms off the Princesse Alice Bank, while the remainder were taken between tide-marks to a depth of 30 fathoms. The collection contains thirty-five species, of which fifteen are described as new. To complete the list of sponges obtained by the Scotia in Atlantic waters, mention may be made here of one species which is not contained in this report. This species, Cladorhiza thomsoni , dredged in deep water between Gough Island and the Cape of Good Hope, has been described by Professor Topsent (24 and 25). It was taken at Station 468, 39° 48′ S., 2° 33′ E., depth 2770 fathoms. The five species above referred to, Leucandra crambessa, Aphrocallistes beatrix, Tethya lyncurium, Chondrosia plebeja and Chondrosia reniformis , call for no special remark. They have all been previously obtained in, or fairly near, the areas for which they are here recorded.