98 Mr. H.J.Carter on the Freshwater Sponges of Bombay. 
purpose I took small portions of the yolk-like substance from the 
seed-like bodies of dried pieces of each of the sponges, and after 
having placed them in separate watch-glasses with distilled water, 
set them aside for a few days until the proteans made their ap- 
pearance*. I then began to compare the latter with one another 
in the different watch-glasses, but instead of finding that each 
species of Spongilla had its peculiar form, I frequently found 
that the kind of protean I had determined on as proper to one 
species, was to be seen on the same or on the following day ina 
watch-glass containing yolk-like substance from the seed-like 
bodies of another species, and so on throughout all the glasses. 
It therefore would appear, that in whatever the specific distinctions 
of the different proteans consist, too much stress must not be laid 
upon their external forms. 
Respecting the position which Spongila holds among orga- 
nized bodies, I feel incompetent to offer an opinion. All who know 
anything about the subject are aware that it is closely allied to 
both the animal and vegetable kingdoms, but it is for those who 
are best acquainted with that part of the chain which unites 
these two great conventional divisions, to assign to it its proper 
link. 
I might here state, however, that we are indebted to Dujardin 
for the earliest notice of the resemblance of the sponge-cell to 
the Proteus+. Ehrenberg’s name for the Proteus is Ameba ; he 
has also applied the same name to the fifth family of his naked 
Phytozoaria polygastrica, Sect. 3, Pseudopodia, m which is in- 
cluded the genus Ameba. 
Finally, I stated in the P.S. to my “ Notest,” that the Pro- 
teus fed on its like after the manner of the Hydra. The fact 
which induced me to make this assertion has been already 
mentioned, but the subject requires further investigation be- 
fore it can be considered conclusive. It is difficult to conceive 
why the Proteus should enclose within its cell-wall one of its own 
like, if it were not for the purpose of feeding upon it; added to 
which the constant accumulation of refuse matter, which, issuing 
from the fecal orifices, settles on the surface of the living sponge, 
when kept in a horizontal position, shows that there is a con- 
tinual elimination going on of material which is no longer useful 
in its ceconomy, and in connection with the fact to which I have 
alluded, would seem to point out the probability that such ejecta, 
to a certain extent, consist of the cast-off parts of organisms from 
which the nutrient parts have been abstracted. 
* ‘Throughout all my experiments distilled water was used, and every 
precaution taken to preclude as far as practicable the introduction of foreign 
matter, 
t+ Ann. des Se. Nat. n.s. x. p. 5. { Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. loc. cit. 
