253 ^(LURARY 



On an Undescribed British Sponge of the Genus 

 Baphiodesma, Bowerbank. 



By J. G. Waller, F.S.A. 



{Read Octoher 20th, 1899.) 



Plate 14. 



The Sponge which I bring before your notice, as one not 

 hitherto described, has been in my possession about twenty 

 years. When found by me on the shore at Paignton, Torbay, it 

 was not bigger than an ordinary Jilbert, and nearly orbicular. 

 At the first examination I saw that it had some differences 

 from those known to me, and marked my slides as reserved 

 for future study. It will be admitted, that I have not been 

 in a hurry to inflict upon you as new, what might have been 

 already described elsewhere ; and until Dr. Bowerbank's work 

 on the British Spongiadj?e was completed, I might easily have 

 made such an error. But time flies, I may say has flown, as 

 several years have passed since I made any communication to 

 you ; I feel, therefore, that, with matter in hand, I owe you 

 a duty. 



It is unfortunate that our Society has so few amongst its 

 members who make a study of the sponges : more students are 

 certainly wanted in a class so fall of interest. But we have 

 also to lament a distraction amongst the learned specialists in 

 attempted classifications, wherein they seldom agree, with termino- 

 logy always being added to, always being altered, rendering it 

 necessary for us to go to school again, with the unhappy prospect 

 of learning what may be pronounced obsolete in a year or two, 

 or pushed aside by another. It is very difficult to see how science 

 is really advanced by this process. What one does feel is, that, 

 some day, there will be a formidable dust-heap of scientific terms. 

 I shall save you distraction in my own case, as I intend to go no 

 farther than Dr. Bowerbank, whose work, whatever may be its 

 defects, is nevertheless, in general, of admitted simplicity in its 

 arrangement, and it answers my purpose. 



JouRN. Q. M. C., Series II.— No. 46. 19 



