Sponges. 49 
BOTANY. 
he Se 
Arr. XI. Descriptions of species of Sponges observed on the 
shores of Long-Island. By C.S. Rarinusque, Esq. 
Te sponges are one of the most singular productions of 
nature; and, even to this time, naturalists are divided in 
opinion respecting their real rank in the scale of organized be- 
ings. Some believe that they are animals, belonging to the 
class of polyps, next to the genus of aleyonium, while many 
contend that they are not animals, but plants, of the tribe of 
uci, or marine vegetables. Iam inclined to adopt this latter 
“pinion, since, in all those which I have seen, in Europe and 
America, no perceptible motion nor sensibility was to be dis- 
cerned in any stage of their existence ; and those who have 
acknowledged their animality, bring no stronger proof thereot 
than an occasional slight shrinking under the hand, and an ani- 
mal smell, which are common to some marine plants. 
Whatever be the truth on the subject, these doubtful opin- _ 
ions prove that they are of the many connecting links between 
animals and plants. his is not a proper place to decide this 
controversy ; I mean merely to make known new species of 
this tribe of beings, which I observed last year, on the shores 
of Long Island. Such a fragment will be, perhaps, the first at- 
tempt of the kind; when more species shall be known, the sub- 
Ject may be investigated with more certainty and accuracy. 
1 Spongia Albescens, Raf. (Whitish sponge.) Effuse, 
“ompressed, irregular, perforated, somewhat branched, une- 
{ually lobed, whitish, smooth; lobes truncated; cells porose, 
very minute, nearly equal; small unequal cells inside. 
ound near Bath and Gravesend, in sandy bottoms. A 
"Ze species, sometimes over a foot broad, of quite an irregu- 
‘= shape, rather flattened, about one inch thick; partly gib- 
