SOUTH DEVON AND CORNWALL MARINE FAUNA AND FLORA. 285 



ever, in rather shallower water, was obtained a large example of the species 

 named, in the Journal of the Zoological Society, by Dr. J. E. Gray, lihodo- 

 phyton couchii, the second that has been met with, more fleshy than the 

 former, and now also deposited in the British Museum. An incrusting 

 Alcyonium was also found, which took the form, in its contorted windings, 

 of the slender substance that passed through and supported it. Added to 

 these, we dredged np Cellepora ramulosa, and what I believed to be C. 

 laevigata ; but having sent the specimen to our lamented friend the late 

 Joseph Alder, he hesitated to decide regarding it. 



Spokges. — The sponges were not the least interesting of the objects that we 

 have obtained — and so much the rather as oiu" observations on them have had 

 the advantage of the assistance of Dr. Bowerbauk, to whom specimens of all 

 were submitted for his opinion. Among the sponges examined by Dr. 

 Bowerbank, we have to congratulate oiu'selves on the acquisition of two 

 which that naturalist pronounces new to science and the first as such which 

 he has seen since the publication of his Treatise on this department of Natu- 

 ral History by the Ray Society. 



These examples, of course, remain with Dr. Bowerbank, who has done 

 Mr. Couch the honour to name the first of them Halichondria couchii. Of 

 these we annex the author's descriptions. 



" Halichondria couchii, Bowerbauk. — Sponge massive, compressed, sessile. 

 Surface even. Oscula simple, dispersed, minute. Pores inconspicuous. 

 Dermal membrane pellucid, spiculous, reticulated ; spicula of the rete same 

 as those of the skeleton ; tension specula acerate, minute, and very slender, 

 few in number ; retentive spicula simple and contort bihamate, minute and 

 slender, not very numerous. Skeleton : — Reticulations regular and distinct ; 

 rete rarely more than unispicnlous ; spicula acerate, rather stout. Intersti- 

 tial membranes pellucid, spiciilous; tension and retentive sincula same as 

 those of the dermal membrane. 

 " Colour. Dried, light grey. 



" Habitat. Coast of Cornwall, Mr. Jonathan Couch. 

 " Examined in the dried state." 



The next novelty was observed to bear a resemblance to the rare Micro- 

 ciona fictitia, but on dissection, with the aid of a microscope, it also showed 

 itself to be new, and it is accordingly named M. fraudator : — 



" Microciona fraudator, Bowerbank. — Sponge massive, sessile, parasitic on 

 Euci or Zoophytes. Surface uneven, pustulous. Oscula simple, dispersed. 

 Pores inconspicuous. Dermal membrane abundantly spiculous; tension 

 spicula same as those of the skeleton, irregularly fasciculated or dispersed ; 

 fasciculi broad and flat, multispiculous ; retentive spicula bidentate, equi- 

 anchorate, minute, not very numerous. Skeleton : — Columns diffuse, long, and 

 very irregular ; spicula fusiformi-acerate, short and stout. Internal defen- 

 sive spicula attenuato-acuatc, variable in length, very numerous, rather 

 stout ; tension spicula same as those of the skeleton, intermixed with internal 

 defensive spicvda ; retentive spicula same as those of the dermal membrane. 

 " Colour. Dried, broAvn, with a tint of yellow. 

 " Habitat. Polperro, Mr. Jonathan Couch. 

 " Examined in the dried state." 



Halichondria paiiicea, a large specimen ; H. alhescens, Johnston; Hynieni- 

 acidon albescens, Bowerbank ; H. simulans, Johnston ; Isodictya simulans, 

 Bowerbank. 



Halichondria suherea.— In a ball of this I fomid shut up, but with an ori- 

 fice, the crustacean Pagurus cuanensis ; and in one or two similar balls there 



