42 Mr. H. J. Carter on 



' Porcupine,' " vol. xiv. p. 207 ; and t'b. 1876, vol. xviii. 

 p. 226, &c.). But I am not certain that I have enumerated 

 all the places in the ' Annals ' where I have described species 

 of this or any other group of sponges, so " once for all " can 

 only state that it will be necessary to search the pages of this 

 periodical generally for this purpose, to which it might be 

 added that on most occasions the references alone to my con- 

 tributions on the classilication of the Spongida will be given, 

 which it will be easier for me to do than for the reader to find 

 them out for himself, while it will enable me to save that time of 

 embodying them in extenso which a few years ago would have 

 been of less consequence to me. 



Fam. 2. Suberitida. 



"C/mr. Tissue cork-like ; spicules matted, felt-like, cancel- 

 lous, and crushable, or radiated, compact, and hard ; spicule 

 chiefly pin-like, tlie sharp ends projecting from the surface, 

 like velvet." 



As I have to add many new groups to this family, it will 

 be necessary to meet this by a slight alteration in the dia- 

 gnosis, which may now stand thus : — 



" Char. Tissue loose, cork-like, or solid and tough. Skeletal 

 spicules chiefly pin-like, varying in shape from globular- 

 headed to simple acuate, with more or less fusiform shaft ; 

 arranged in a confused, felt-like, reticulated skeletal mass, or 

 in bundles radiating from the centre." 



Hence it will be observed that all mention of " cancellous 

 and crushable " structure has been omitted, since this is found 

 to obtain only in dried specimens, where the sarcode has 

 shrunk away, and nothing is left but the more durable skeletal 

 fibro-reticulation, a fact that 1 did not well realize until I began 

 to examine Mr. Wilson's fresh or wet specimens, which shows 

 their value in this respect and the disadvantage of framing a 

 diagnosis only on specimens that are dry. 



Whether or not it would be desirable in description to give 

 the state of a sponge in both conditions I must leave future 

 observation to determine. I think it would where this can be 

 done, or when both conditions are present ; but where, as in 

 many instances, the specimen can only become known by its 

 presence on the beach, washed, water-worn, and dry, having 

 originally come from the vault of some submarine cavern, 

 where, by accident or otherwise, it has been torn from its 

 place of attachment, it would be desirable to add, as Dr. 

 Bowerbank has done, " examined in the dried state." And 

 this must be the case in many instances, unless they are 



