196 Mr. H. J, Carter on Grayella cyatliophora, 



But Prof. James-Clark, in alluding to my statement that 

 the sponge-cells are allied to the Rhizopoda, from the proba- 

 bility of their having no fixed oral aperture but the power of 

 polymorphism and the inception of particles of food at any 

 point of the body &c., announces his "firm conviction that the 

 ti'ue ciliated Sj)ongice are not E-hizopoda in any sense what- 

 ever, nor even closely related to them, but are genuine com- 

 pound _/a^ei^Za^e Protozoa^'' {I. c. p. 206). To what extent the 

 "true ciliated Sjyongice'''' may be carried does not appear, 

 although it seems evident that the expression includes the 

 calcareous sponges. 



Now, a short time since, having had to break up, for micro- 

 scopical examination, a living portion of a calcareous sponge, 

 viz. Grantia ciliata^ which is closely allied to Leucosoleniaj I 

 observed that, after a little while, the cilia ceased to appear 

 (were retracted?), and that the cells all began to creep about 

 the glass by expansions identical with those of Amoeba. 

 Hence I still, even among the calcareous sponges, must ad- 

 here to my opinion that they as well as Sjjongilla are closely 

 allied to the Rhizopoda. 



Prof. James-Clark assumes, on the inferences above stated 

 (for he did not actually see the oral aperture either in the cells 

 of Leucosolenia or Codosiga)^ that there is a fixed mouth and 

 an anal orifice close by it, and therefore that the animal ex- 

 pression (if I may use the term) of the " true ciliated Spongige" 

 is a flagellated Infusorium not allied to the Rhizopoda " in 

 any sense whatever." 



I also, on inferences above stated, assume that the sponge- 

 cell is almost identical with Amoeba^ and therefore that all the 

 sponges are intimately allied to the Rhizopoda. 



It is but fair, however, to add that I have not yet had time 

 to search for the signs of the flagellate Infusoria delineated 

 and described l)y Prof. James-Clark, viz. the funnel-shaped 

 process surrounding the cilium &c., and therefore am not able 

 to confirm or disprove his conclusions in this respect. At 

 the same time, I think, the fact of the amoeboid organisms 

 beginning life as flagellated Infusoria, and afterwards ex- 

 changing (retracting?) the cilium for a polymorphic condition, 

 if they do not occasionally present both forms in combination, 

 points to a nearer alliance between the two than Prof. James- 

 Clark's " conviction " above quoted would allow. 



Lastly, the formation of the vents in Grayella cyathophora 

 is peculiar ; for the oscula do not open directly upon the 

 dermal layer as in most other sponges, but into a cloacal 

 chamber which is formed over them by a prolongation of the 

 dermal sarcodc, evidencing by its puckered orifice that it also 



