172 BRITISH SPONGES: 



5. GRANTIA, Fleming. 



SpongijB pars, Lin. Laji. Lamour — Scyjihae pars, Gray, Brit 

 PL i. 357 — Scyphiae pars, Schweig. Handb. 422. — Grantia, 

 Flem. Brit. An. 524. — Leucalia, Grant in Edin. Encyclop. 



xviii. 844 — Leuconia, Grant, Outl. Comp. Anat. 7 Calci- 



spongia, Blainv. Man. 330. 



Character. Sponge Jirmhh and inelastic, usually 

 white, multiform, of a close texture hut porous, and com- 

 posed of calcareous spicula compacted in a gelatinous base : 

 spicula simple and stellated : oscula always distinct. Ma- 

 rine. 



It has been already mentioned that Dr Grant was the first 

 naturalist who ascertained that the, spicula, which enter so co- 

 piously into the composition of sponges, were in some of them 

 of a siliceous nature, and in others formed of carbonate of lime. 

 To the latter group, the Rev. Dr Fleming, in 1828, gave the 

 name of Grantia, with the view of commemorating the ser- 

 vices of that gentleman in elucidating the physiology of the fa- 

 mily. Dr Grant subsequently proposed to substitute " Leuca- 

 lia" in lieu of the first denomination, which Blainville changed 

 to " Calcispongia," that it might harmonize with his peculiar no- 

 tions of the consistencies of nomenclature. Perpaps Dr Grant 



