A mer! 
\ egetal 
Amcehm, 
Intermediate 
SYLONCTA, 
* ۹ ٤ 
1 
Vegetal Monera. 
| 
Monera. 
Intermedinte 
ZOOLOGY. 25 
hard sponge,—the horny kind (common bathing sponge),— 
which, when alive, has the interstices filled with these 
Amoeba-like bodies. Some of the descendants of the Horny 
Sponges were metamorphosed into the flinty kind, to which 
our fresh-water sponge belongs, and the Venus's flower- 
basket (Euplectella), whose framework rivals in delicacy 
the most beautiful lace. From the flinty kind were derived 
most likely the Pitcher Sponges, in which the framework 
takes the form of a goblet or pitcher. These are often 
beautifully preserved in a fossil state (Ventriculites, Guet- 
tardia); they are nearly allied in their structure to Corals 
and Anemones. Still closer to the Corals are the calcareous 
sponges in their affinities. The natural history of Sponges, 
to those to whom it is known best, is full of evidences in 
favor of the theory of Evolution. 
em 
TREE TE 
Actinozoa. Hydrozoa. 
an. 
Anemones: Corals. Jelly-Fish. 
| 
Calcareous. Pitcher. 
| 
Gummy, 
| 
Flinty. | 
| | 
Horny. Slimy. 
| 
| 
Hard Sponges, Soft Sponges. 
| 
Original Sponge. 
| 
Amoeba. 
| 
Monas. 
