BRITISH SPONGIAD.E. 369 



satisfactory representative of either Walker's or Sowerby's 

 species. On the contrary, Walker's description of his 

 sponge, quoted by Dr. Johnston at full length, is applicable 

 in every point to the ordinary specimens of Chalina Mon- 

 taguii. Dr. Flenaing was of opinion that the sponges 

 described by Walker and Sowerby were identical, and in 

 this opinion I perfectly concur ; and, moreover, that learned 

 naturalist states, "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." The locality of Mr. 

 Fellows' specimen being that also which produces Chalina 

 Montaguii in such profusion, appears to me to lead irre- 

 sistibly to the idea that they are but the same species. I 

 have therefore thought it better to consider Dr. Johnston's 

 Halichondria Columbee as only a synonym of Chalina Mon- 

 taguii, and especially so as Sowerby's figure of it in the 

 'British Miscellany' renders us no assistance in distin- 

 guishing the species, and is in truth an excellent' repre- 

 sentation of a very common form of Chalina Montaguii, as 

 found at Brighton. 



Dr. Johnston has quoted the whole of the printed ob- 

 servations on their respective sponges by Sowerby and 

 Walker, excepting the specific character of the latter, which 

 is as follows : 



" Spongia ColumbcB, sessilis rarissima pellucida septi- 

 mentosa, septimentis planis inosculatis ; supra foraminibus 

 rotundus." Presuming the three specific names " Cancel- 

 lata," published by Sowerby in 1806; " Columbse," pub- 

 lished by Walker in 1812; and "Montaguii," by Fleming 

 in his 'History of British Animals,' in 1829, Sowerby's 

 specific name should perhaps take precedence ; but the 

 latter of the three names having been so long and so well 

 established in the works of Fleming and Johnston, I have 

 thought it advisable to adhere to that adopted by the 

 authors last named. 



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