1864.] DR. BOWERBANK ON AMERICAN SPONGES. 307 



them exceedingly valuable as specific characters. In some of the 

 young and incompletely developed ovaries I could not detect a 

 single specimen of these spicula. The only difference I could 

 find between these spicula and those of the dermal membrane 

 was, that the spines on those of the latter were more sharply 

 and fully produced, while on those of the ovary they were fre- 

 quently ill-defined and often only in an incipient state, but very 

 abundant. 



In the preparation of the spicula for examination, I found a 

 few birotulate ones having the rotulee very deeply divided. These 

 spicula were no part of the sponge in course of description, but 

 were undoubtedly from the gemmules of another species inhabit- 

 ing the St. Lawrence. 



(Note by the Editors.) The above descriptions ma}^ be 

 taken as a first instalment of descriptions of Canadian and other 

 Aiiierican Sponges, now in the hands of Dr. Bowerbank. The 

 first was forwarded to us in MS. by the author. The second 

 is taken from a late paper in the Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society of London. 



The first of the above species was dredged by Dr. Dawson at 

 Portland. The original specimen, part of which was sent to Dr. 

 Bowerbank, is of an oval form, an inch and a half in its longest 

 diameter, and about a quarter of an inch thick in the centre. It is 

 attached partly to a stone, and partly to the side of a large speci- 

 men 0^ Balaniis porcatus. 



The second species was collected by Mr. Fowler and Rev. 

 Mr. Kemp, and the specimens were presented by these gentlemen 

 to the Museum of McGill University, whence the portions exam- 

 ined by Dr. Bowerbank were sent with a number of others by 

 Dr. Dawson. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Hail-Storm inPontiac. — Extract of a Letter from Wm.King, 

 Esq., of Bristol. — Two days ago a very destructive hail storm 

 occurred in this and the neighboring townships. Some singular 

 circumstances connected with it may be noteworthy. On Mon- 

 day, the 11th, about two p.m., the storm came, accompanied by 

 thunder and lightning. Its course was from west to east, and about 

 two miles wide. Almost all the glass in the westerly windows of the 

 farm-houses within its range was broken ; the crops of wheat, in 



