Zoological Society. 369 



with a clue to the positiou of any species of genera previously 

 unknown on our coasts which may reward his researches. The 

 characters of the famihes and genera are given in analytical tables, 

 and afterwards in a more detailed form. The generic descriptions in 

 those cases where the genus contains several species are followed by 

 anah'tical tables of the species, and we then come to the carefully 

 drawn-up specific descriptions, which are preceded by short characters 

 and by a very full synonymy. The varieties of the different species 

 are also described in considerable detail, and this descriptive portion is 

 followed in each case by an account of the habits and natural history 

 of the species, and a list of the localities in which it has been met 

 with. As there are few, if any, of our British naturalists who have 

 had the same opportunities as Mr. Gosse of studying the Sea- 

 Anemones in their native haunts, or who possess the power of de- 

 scribing their observations in the same lucid and interesting style, 

 this portion of the work is most attractive and valuable. 



The species described in the four Parts before us all belong to 

 Mr. Gosse's family Sayartiadce, to which we observe he now refers 

 the genus Capnea, placed by him amongst the Caryophyllacea, in 

 his Synopsis lately published in this Journal. They include the 

 genera Actinoloba {A. dianthus), Sayartia, with fifteen species (five 

 or six imperfectly known species being deferred to an Appendix), and 

 Adamsia. 



The plates illustrating the work are, like most of Mr. Gosse's, 

 beautifully executed ; they represent the various species and many 

 of their varieties, adhering, in different states of expansion and con- 

 traction, to the walls of their rocky home, from which the bright 

 colours of their delicate crowns of tentacles stand out in fine contrast. 

 Each plate contains on an average about nine figures ; and their 

 beauty, coupled with the intrinsic value and interesting nature of the 

 work, must render it equally acceptable as an ornament to the drawing- 

 room table and as a handbook for the scientific naturalist. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



April 13, 1858.— Dr. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



Description of a New Genus of Sponge (Xenospongia) 

 FROM Torres Strait. By Dr. John Edward Gray, 

 F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., Pres. Ent. Soc. etc. 



The Sponge here described was received from Torres Strait with 

 some very interesting Madrepores and Polyzoa. 



It is peculiar from its being free like the FunyicB among the Ma- 

 drepores, but more concave beneath, from its having the upper oscules 

 placed in the diverging forked groove of the upper surface, and from 

 its having the whole of the luider surface covered with a thick coat 



