PREFACE. vii 



praise, and difficult to imitate, specimens and communica- 

 tions have been sent from every side of our island with the 

 sole object of enabling a stranger to the great majority of 

 his correspondents to render this history of our native Sponges 

 and Lithophytes more complete and accurate than it could 

 otherwise have been made. The kindness of my Irish 

 friends is characteristic. William Thompson, Esq. of Bel- 

 fast, not only entrusted to me a large collection of Irish 

 sponges made by himself, but he borrowed others for my 

 use from R. Ball, Esq. and Dr Drummond, and he was the 

 means of procuring for me an opportunity of examining the 

 collection of the late Mr Templeton, without which the 

 species mentioned by that most worthy naturalist could not 

 have been ascertained. To Dr Scouler of Dublin I am 

 largly indebted for another valuable collection of Irish 

 sponges gathered principally by Mr William M'Colla, — 

 one of those observant men, of the rank of Crabbe's friend 

 the " Weaver," * who are led by a keen love of nature 

 in her various productions to pursue their study amidst 

 obstructions and disadvantages which would fray away less 

 enthusiastic spirits. Mr Arthur H. Hassall, who I claim 

 as my pupil in zoophytology, and likely ere long to 

 surpass his master therein, also sent to me several sponges 

 from Dublin Bay and other localities ; and my talented 

 friend Mr Edward Forbes gave me the specimens which he 

 had dredged on the shores of the Isle of Man. Mr Bean 

 of Scarborough, ever on the watch to oblige naturalists less 



* " There is my friend the Weaver, strong desires 

 Reign in his breast ; 'tis beauty he admires ; 

 See ! to the shady grove he wings his way, 

 And feels in hope the raptures of the day." 



The Borough, Letter viii. 



