SPONGES. 483 



to him with many other sponges, on being informed of his contemplated 

 work upon the subject: in the same year this species was procured in 

 Belfast Bay by Dr. Drummond. In July, 1840, it was dredged by our 

 party at Killery Bay, Connemara ; two specimens thence in my collection, 

 as well as the fii'st alluded to, are attached to Tiirritella terebra. Several 

 procured in Strangford Lough are attached to Cytherea ovata — the largest 

 is 2i inches in height, and quite pyriform. 



In 1843 Mr. Hyndman dredged it in Carlingford Bay, attached io Tur- 

 ritella terehra. 



Oenus Cliona. 

 C celata. Grant. 



In perforations of the shell of the oyster {Ostrea edulis) taken in Belfast 

 Bay and elsewhere on the North-East coast, W. T. 



January, 1848. — In Belfast market to-day I observed a very fine Car- 

 rickfergus oyster, 6 inches in diameter, covered with this species, both in 

 a mass outside its shell, and filKng up the drilled apertures through the 

 layers of the shell. It thus at once presented var. A and var. B of John- 

 ston on Sponges, p. 125. I found that shells so invested are called in the 

 market " rotten oysters," and to prove the correctness of this term, a 

 vender of the oysters showed me how the shell broke between his fingers. 

 He remarked that the oyster itself was nevertheless quite good, as the 

 inner portion of the shell next it always remained sound. (This is quite 

 in accordance with Dr. Grant's observations.) Among oysters from 

 Strangford Lough " rotten ones " also are found. 



March \st, 1848. — I found Cliona filling the perforations in two im- 

 mense Carrickfergus oysters (2 lbs. and 1| lb weight) ; it rises above the 

 surface of the shell outside, in little eminences. One shell that it appears 

 through (except on inner surface, which is entire, a yellowish'brown 

 marking, however, there denoting the presence of the Cliona) is 1^ inch in 

 thickness. 



Genus Spongilla. 

 S. Jluviatilis, Pall. 



North of Ireland, Mr. Templeton. Kiver Inver, Lame. Branched form, 

 shores Lough Erne, 1837, W. T. 



March 2ith, 1837. — I received from James Grimshaw, jun., Esq., speci- 

 mens of a Spongilla "which grew about pipes in one of the ponds at 

 Whitehouse." They assume very diff'erent forms, several being flattish, 

 and which probably had spread over the pipes, and one large mass a foot 

 long, and half as much broad, is much branched ; but this is chiefly an 

 incrustation on what appears like the remains of an old heather besom, 

 but when there is nothing woody for a foundation it branches out con- 

 siderably. This latter form seems identical with the Ephydatia canalium, 

 as figured by Fleming (Phil, of Zool., t. v. f. 4). _ This figure is stated to 

 have been taken " from an Irish specimen " (vol. ii. p. 614), but when pro- 

 cured, or by whom obtained, is not mentioned. Of the two British species 

 of Sjumyilla, this agrees with »S'. flm'iafilis {Ilalicondria fluv., Flem. Brit. 

 An., p. 524), the S. lacustris being of a " hard" nature. 



S. lacustris, Flem., 

 Was noticed by Dr. AUman before Dublin Nat. Hist. Society, in 1848' 

 as found by him in the lower lake of Killarney, and in some of the County 

 Wicklow lakes. 



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