Section IV., 1894. [ 113 ] Trans. Eoy. Soc. Canada. 



VIII. — Slionycfi from the Western Coast of North Ameri( 



By Lawrence M. Lambe, F.G.S., F.G.S.A., of the Geulogical Survey. 



(Presented by Mr. .T. F. Whiteaves.) 



The following paper is the result of a study of a numlier of recent marine sponges 

 collected by Dr. Wm. IL Dali and others in the northern Pacific Ocean, in Behring Sea and 

 in the Arctic Ocean oiF the shores of the northwestern portion of Alaska, and now deposited 

 in the U. S. National Museum at Washington, D.C. 



All the specimens referred to belong to the Monaronida and were dredged at various 

 depths down to about eighty fathoms or picked up on the beach ; the former are preserved 

 in alcohol and are in a good state of preservation, the latter were kept as dried specimens 

 and have been examined in that state. The collection comprises about twelve hundred and 

 fifty specimens many of which, as might have been expected, are duplicates which afford a 

 good series of many of the species showing the variation in external form and manner of 

 growth. Some of the specimens picked up on the beach have probably come from a con- 

 siderable depth. Referring to the beach specimens in the collection Dr. Dall in a letter to 

 the writer says : "In regard to the specimens which were not dredged, but were collected 

 by hand on beaches, there is some discrimination to be exercised. Most of the specimens 

 of most of the species were picked up on the shore, after storms, where they had been thrown 

 by the waves, with some species not growing in shallow water or near the shore. There 

 are however, some of the sponges to which this does not apply, and among these are the 

 specimens obtained at the locality entered in the catalogue as Chika Island near Unalaska. 

 This island is situated in a strait separating Unalaska Island from the next island. 

 Owing to the fact that the tides run through this strait with great force and that in the 

 frequent storms the wind blows in a contrary direction to the current, thereby producing a 

 tremendous surf, a great many deep-sea species are thrown upon the beaches of this island. 

 We observed on one of the cliffs of the island the spars of some wreck which had l)ecn 

 thrown by the waves over eight}' feet above the level of the sea and lodged in the crevices 

 of the rocks, which will give some idea of the force of the waves in this vicinity. There 

 are several tree-like silicious sponges which were only obtained at this place and from deep 

 water on the cod-fishing banks to the eastward. These sponges undoubtedly come from 

 a depth of about one hundred fathoms, although the specimens sent were picked up on the 

 beach. It is probable that they were carried from the deep-sea bed attached to some 

 stone to which the giant kelp was attached and which by the waves was transported on to 



' Communicated by permission of the Director of tlie Geological Survey of Canada. 



Sec. VI., 1894. 15. 



