Xil PREFACE. 



from which are figured in this volume. My friend, the 

 Rev. A. M. Norman, of Sedgefield, near Ferrybridge, 

 Durham, has largely contributed to the list of new 

 British species, which will be published in the second 

 volume of this work, by having with the greatest liberality 

 and kindness, continually placed the results of his 

 numerous dredging excursions at my disposal for exami- 

 nation. 



My indefatigable friend, Mr. C. W. Peach, of Wick, 

 N.B., has also continually and frequently favoured me with 

 numerous northern species ; and to my friend, Mr. Robert 

 Patterson, of Belfast ; my late friend Mr. William Thomp- 

 son of the same locality, and to Mr. William Thompson of 

 Weyrnouth, I am similarly indebted. My late friend Mr. S. P. 

 Pratt, favoured me with a collection of East Indian sponges, 

 from which several highly interesting types of beautiful forms 

 of organization have been figured in this volume. My friend 

 Captain Thomas, R.N., of the Hydrographical Survey, has 

 also assisted me greatly with numerous interesting speci- 

 mens acquired in the course of his professional avocations. 

 To my late friends, Professor John Quekett and Mr. J. 

 H. Stewart, of the Royal College of Surgeons, I am under 

 great obligations for numerous kind acts and many valuable 

 specimens of organization, and I am also much indebted to 

 my friend Mr. Charles Tyler, for much valuable assistance 

 in the examination of exotic sponges in search of new forms 

 of organization. In addition to the above I must also tender 

 my thanks to Professor Ansted, Professor King, of Galway, 

 Mr. N. H. Mason, Mr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys, Mr. Howes, of 

 Newcastle, Mr. Tumanowicz, Mr. Vickers, of Dublin, and 

 Mr. C. M. Topping, for their kind donations of specimens. 

 To my friend, Mr. William Ferguson, of Burton-on-Trent, I 



