102 BRITISH SPONGES: 



in diameter. Its substance is very tough, yet soft, delicate, and 

 elastic. It eagerly imbibes water and parts with it freely ; and 

 though never so often wetted and squeezed, suifers no alteration 

 in its substance or figure. These properties would render it va- 

 luable could it be found in any considerable quantity, and, for 

 many purposes, it would be much preferable to the common 

 sponge of the shops. 



" It consists of a number of partitions about a quarter of an 

 inch thick, standing close together, and joined to each other in 

 several places by inosculations. These partitions upon the un- 

 der side, next the root, are imperforate, but upon the upper side, 

 they are perforated by small round holes disposed over their 

 surface." 



" Of this fine sponge, which is different from all those in Lin- 

 naeus's System or Ray's Synopsis, there was but one specimen 

 found upon the south shore of Icolumbkil." D)' Walker. 



" Branches about a quarter of an inch thick ; pores minute, 

 angular ; the orifices, seated chiefly at the union of the branches, 

 are conical, wide, with the margins not thickened. As this 

 species is different from either the ;S'. cancellata of Gmelin or 

 Lamarck, I have ventured to change the name imposed by Mr 

 Sowerby, for the term employed by Dr Walker, in the convic- 

 tion that the sponge referred to by both is identical." Fleming. 



" This remarkable sponge was brought me fresh from Brighton 

 by Mr Fellows, September 17th 1805. Its cancellated structure 

 distinguishes it at first sight from all others that I have seen 

 either specimens or figures of, especially as British. Besides 

 this structure in the general habit, its fibres are also cancellated 

 or reticulated with a horny appearance when magnified. All 

 spongiae seem to betray more or less the habitation or nidus of 

 some animal, in the general structure. The kneed appearance 

 and the swelling at the bend of the knee, with the inverted coni- 

 cal aperture, give this assurance. It is rather astonishing that 



