o~ 
’ INTRODUCTORY i 
cured living specimens. By these remarks I do not wish 
to be understood to say that I fully endorse the systematic 
arrangement of these authors, or that I consider all the 
forms described by them as species, as entitled to specific 
rank, but I do mean to say that I consider that, under the 
circumstances, they have written a most excellent work. 
and one well worthy of the careful attention of students in 
this department of animal life. 
Following this work, we find afew more scattering 
descriptions of West Indian Sponges, mainly by Messrs. 
Bowerbank and Carter. until in 1875, the first part of Prof. 
Hyatt’s careful “Revision of the North American Porif- 
erae” appeared, followed the next year by the second part. 
Although most lamentably Prof. Hyatt’s werk has 
never extended beyond the horny sponges, considering the 
material he had in hand, he has done his work very thor- 
oughly, insomuch so that there are few forms which he did 
not recognize in some way, that I have found in the West 
Indies and Florida. He described several new species, 
most of which I can endorse; his errors are in the main 
due to conservatism, (a safe side as a rule, with a scientist 
if indulged in with moderation, } and to the fact that he 
was unfamiliar with the living sponges. 
