\76 Dr. J. Scouler on some rare Animals found in Ireland. 



XXVI. — Notes on some rare species of Animals found on the 

 Coasts of Ireland. By John Scouler, M.D. 



Thia polita. 



This rare and interesting crustacean was figured and described 

 by Dr. Leach in the ' Zoological Miscellany/ vol. ii. pi. 103, and 

 since the time of that eminent naturalist I am not aware that it 

 has been found on our shores by any British naturalist. In his 

 account of the Thia polita, Dr. Leach does not give us any infor- 

 mation as to the locality where it was found, which was however 

 probably somewhere on the English coast, especially as Milne 

 Edwards mentions that it is to be found on the opposite shores 

 of France. 



For the discovery of this species, which may be considered as 

 an acquisition to the British as well as the Irish fauna, we are 

 indebted to that acute and indefatigable observer Mr. William 

 M^Calla, who has enriched the natural history of Ireland by the 

 discovery of many species both of Algae and Invertebrate animals. 

 Among other rare Crustacea which we owe to him, I may men- 

 tion the Pisa tetraodon, of which the Dublin Museum contains 

 a fine series, and also the true Portunus marmoreus. 



The Thia polita as well as the other species mentioned was 

 found at Roundstone in Connemara, in a sandy bay at extreme low 

 water, and as Mr. M^Calla remarks, it is similar in its habits to 

 the Corystes Cassivelaunus. 



Halichondria hispida. 



Spongia hispida, Montagu, Wernerian Memoirs, vol. ii. pi. 5. 

 fig. 1,3. 



I am not aware that any one has found this sponge since it 

 was discovered by Montagu. About a year ago some very fine 

 specimens were dredged from deep water at Roundstone by Mr. 

 M'Calla, who took the precaution to preserve them in spirits, so 

 that the character of the species can be satisfactorily ascertained. 

 Both the figure and description of Montagu are very good, and 

 leave little to be added : when moist it is very soft and gelatinous, 

 and shrivels up a good deal in drying. The spiculse are very 

 long, and many of them projecting from the surface of the 

 braijches gives them the appearance expressed by the brevial name. 



Tethya carnosa. 



Halichondria carnosa, Johnston, Brit. Sponges, p. 146. pi. 13. 

 fig. 7, 8. 



This sponge has been excellently described by Dr. Johnston 

 from specimens collected in Connemara by its discoverer Mr. 



