124 • The Irish Naturalist. 



was without genimules, so that a final decision is impossible. 

 Adding to the three species which are thus left, Sp07igilla 

 fi'agilis, mentioned b}^ Carter (3, p. i8), as occurring in the 

 River Wye, near Hereford, we find the British Fauna of 

 fresh-water Sponges to consist of 



Ejispongilla lacitsiris, Autt. 

 Spongilla fragilis, Ivcidy, 

 Ephydatia MiiUeri, Lieb, 

 Ephydatia Jliiviatilis^ Aiitt. 



We scarcel}^ need to believe that this is all. It is very 

 likely that the fifth .species which is common to France and 

 German)^ viz., Trochospo?igilla horrida, will some da}^ be found 

 in Great Britain, and perhaps others in addition. 



We now come to Irish Spongillidae. I will state right 

 at the beginning that Dr. Scharff's material comprises, 

 besides E2cspo7ioilla lacustris and Ephydatia Jiuviatilis, two 

 species which are of undoubted American origin, viz., 

 Hetc7'oineye7iia Ryderi, Potts, and 7uJ?ella pe?insylva7iica, Potts. 

 Only the former of the two species contained gemmules, but 

 the skeleton spicules of Tzibella perinsylvaiiica^cs:^ so character- 

 istic, that I consider an}^ mistake impossible. The case was 

 more difficult with a fifth species, also without gemmules, 

 from Park I^ough, Hungr}^ Hill. It has no resemblance to 

 any known European species, and of American species I can 

 identify it onl}" with Ephydatia craterifo7i7tis, Potts. With 

 this form it agrees both in the general character of its vSkeleton- 

 spicules, and especially in certain small spicules scattered 

 through the tissues, which may be immature amphidiscs (for 

 details see p. 128). A quite satisfactory identification will be 

 possible only when material w^ith gemmules is found. But as 

 I hear from Dr. vScharff that no scientific person lives within 

 50 miles of Park Lough, some time may elapse, before such 

 can be obtained. A sixth and last species, Ephydatia Miilleri, 

 I received through the kindness of my friend, Mr. S. R. 

 Christophers, who collected it last summer during a walking 

 tour in Ireland at McHugo Island, Lough Rea, Galway. 

 The specimens are again without gemmules, but the skeleton- 

 vSpicules of this species are so characteristic, that an error in 

 identification is not likely. 



