. The naturalist in Australia. Natural history. 236 THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. The sponge figured in juxtaposition to the type last described hails from the hotter and more remote waters of Torres Straits, and is remarkable as being an almost unique variety of the so-called " Neptune's Goblet" or " Neptune's Cup " sponge, Poterion patera. In its normal form, this sponge takes the shape of a huge cup or goblet, with a supporting stalk, and, as a whole, is commonly three or four feet in height and a couple of feet in diameter. In this instance, the sponge possesses no basal
. The naturalist in Australia. Natural history. 236 THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. The sponge figured in juxtaposition to the type last described hails from the hotter and more remote waters of Torres Straits, and is remarkable as being an almost unique variety of the so-called " Neptune's Goblet" or " Neptune's Cup " sponge, Poterion patera. In its normal form, this sponge takes the shape of a huge cup or goblet, with a supporting stalk, and, as a whole, is commonly three or four feet in height and a couple of feet in diameter. In this instance, the sponge possesses no basal stalk, and in place of a deep, cup-shaped body, is spread flat out like a tray or salver of over three feet in diameter, having its margin slightly turned up, after the manner of an ordinary tray rim. From the centre of this basal tray, two other lesser, irregular cup-like developments of the sponge mass are raised one above the other to the height of httle over one foot. Mounted flat, this sponge formerly did duty in the author's collection as an appropriate show-table for a choice assortment of Torres Straits shells and is figured under these conditions on Plate XLII. of his volume on the " Great Barrier ; This fine specimen has likewise fallen a victim to the insatiable appetite of the Sponge and Coral Galleries of the British Museum, where it is now on view. The companion pictures in general contour and design, represented by Plates XLI. and XLIL, are included in this. yy. Saville-Keiit, Phofo. A VERTiciLLATE STALKED SPONGE, Caulospongia vevticiUata^ , ONE-EIGHTH NATURAL SIZE, p. 235. B Neptune's cup .sponge, Poterion imtera var. one-tenth natural Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Kent, W. Saville (William Saville), d. 1908. London, Chapman & Hall
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