48 Mr. H. J. Carter on 



but then no other mode of propagation in tliese sponges has 

 been described ; and therefore, however probable it is that 

 this may be the case, it as yet only rests on inference ; while 

 Lieberkiihn long ago made it plain that SpongiUa might be 

 propagated sexually (that is, by ova and spermatozoids), or 

 by the so-called seed-like bodies respectively. 



The above revision of my order Holorhaphidota may appear 

 very short, but if the papers to which I have referred be read 

 it will be found to be very long, for since my original classi- 

 fication was published in 1875 I have ever and anon been 

 publishing the result of my considerations of different parts 

 of it, and especially that of the Holorhaphidota, wliereby 

 several additions have been made to the latter, which, as 

 before stated, it is much easier for me to indicate shortly with 

 a few remarks than to embody in extenso. Hence, this revi- 

 sion will only be found interesting to those who wish to 

 know what I have written on the subject, or might hereafter 

 do what I should if time permitted do myself, that is publish 

 a " handy volume " or Manual of the Spongida, including a 

 synopsis of all the species that have been described, accom- 

 panied by the author's name, the date of description, and tiie 

 place where described, with synonyms in like manner if there 

 should be any. Such a compilation is now urgently required 

 for the advancement of this branch of Natural History, which, 

 so long as our knowledge of the subject remains inconveni- 

 ently scattered through a number of books, must continue to 

 lead more or less to petty classifications and the proposing of 

 new and probably inappropriate names which may entail the 

 inconvenience of reference and perhaps contradiction, because 

 they have been based on a limited knowledge of the subject 

 derived from access only to a i&v^ specimens. Species first 

 and then classification. 



All therefore that I can now do more in this respect, previ- 

 ously to describing Mr. J. Bracebridge Wilson's specimens 

 which belong to the order Holorhaphidota, is to repeat the 

 tabular view given at the commencement of this article with 

 the additions subsequently proposed in " italics," together 

 with the necessary changes in the numbering of the groups &c., 

 so that the reader may see at a glance how the Table will 

 now stand : — 



