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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



VOL. 81 



Remofrks. — Lamarck (1815, p. 78) described Alcyonium vesparium. 

 I have examined his specimens at the Paris INIuseum and unhesitat- 

 ingly identify them with a common West Indian species with which 

 I have had much field experience. His type specimen was of dubious 

 locality, but his other two were clearly labeled as West Indian. This 

 species can be readily recognized by the peculiar structure of its 

 pores. 



I found specimens clearly of this species labeled Suberites in the 

 Berlin Museum. I heard of French specimens labeled Hardwickia. 

 It is probably the species referred to by Duchassaing and Michelotti 

 (1864, p. 85) as Thalysias vespara. Bowerbank (1872, p. 126) de- 

 scribed it as Hymeniacidpn pulvinatus. I have seen his specimens in 

 the British Museum, and they are clearly vespara. Schmidt (1870, 

 p. 48), described it as Papillina cribrosa. I have studied his type at 

 Strasbourg and there is no question about it. Carter (1879, p. 348) 



Figure 23. — Spheoiospongia confoederata de Laubenfels, X300 



referred to this species (from Bowerbank's specimen) as Spongia 

 dysoni. Marshall (1892, p. 32) made it the type of a genus Spheoio- 

 spongia for its peculiar pore structure, basing his work on Lamarck's 

 specimens. Verrill (1907, p. 342) made it the type of a genus Hetero- 

 cliona, using Schmidt's description. George and Wilson (1921, p. 

 135) described it as Spirastrella andrewsi^ and later (p. 139) as 

 Poterlmi atlwntica. I have studied the specimens in the United 

 States National Museum and am positive of the identification. (All 

 the specimens are X^iki^^dL Spirastrella andrewsi.) There is so much 

 resemblance to Bowerbank's genus Raphyi^us that one is tempted to 

 call this Uliona, except for the lack of evidence, even in the smallest 

 youngest specimens, of any boring ability or tendency, and for the 

 peculiar pore structures. Two genera that are probably not valid, 

 but that might have been used here, are Osculina and RhapMophora; 

 nevertheless, the list of generic designations is rather complete, at 

 least 10 or 11 having been employed. 



