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Vol. VII. DETROIT, JUNE, 1887. No. 6 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS 



NOTES ON THE GENUS CARTERIUS* FORMEKLY CAR- 

 TERELLA OF THE FRESH- WATER SPONGES. 



HENRY MILLS. 



^ I ''HE fresh-water sponges in the genus Carterius are now known 

 ■*- to be distributed over a large portion of this country, and 

 they have also been found in several localities in Europe. Notwith- 

 standing the marked peculiarities which distinguish them from 

 every other genus, they were unknown till seven or eight years ago. 

 The lirst specimen in the genus, as far as I know, was found by Prof. 

 D. S. Kellicott, of Buffalo, in the Niagara river, who kindly 

 handed me a small portion of it for identification in 1879. At 

 about the same time, Mr. Edward Potts found a sponge in the 

 Fairmount park, Philadelphia, of quite another form, but of the 

 same generic character. In a short time Mr. Potts found a second 

 specimen, still differing from either of the foregoing, but evidently 

 belonging to the same family, — thus making in all, three distinct 

 forms in a few months unlike anything seen before. They were 

 soon identified as so many species, and a new genus was estab- 

 lished. At the suggestion of Mr, Potts, this was named after Mr. 

 Carter, of England, who has done more for the advancement of a 

 knowledge of the fresh- water sponges than any other person. Soon 

 after this, I also found large quantities of the first and third species 

 in the Niagara river, and the Scajaquady creek in Buffalo, and also 

 received a good supply of the last named, from Dr. Newcomer, of 

 Indianapolis, which he obtained fi-om the water works of that city. 



* The form of appellation for the genus was changed from C'arterella to Carterius, 

 when it was discovered that the former had already been applied to a genus of fossil 

 sponges. Tnis, for the benefit of those who have slides of the early mountings. 



