SPONGIA. 



•ularly, the interior parts are feen to confift of fmall tiibes, 

 which are divided into branches as they appear on the fur- 

 face. Thefe tubes, which are compofed of reticulated 

 fibres, extend themfelves every way, by this means incrcaling 

 the furface of the iponge, and ending at the outfide in an 

 infinite number of Imall circular holes, which are the pro- 

 per mouths of the animal. Each of thefe holes is furround- 

 ed by a few ereft pointed fibres, that appear as if woven in 

 the form of little fpines. The tubes, with their rami- 

 I fications, in the living ilate of the fponge, are clothed with 

 I a gelatinous fubftance, properly called the flefh of the ani- 

 mal. When the fponge is firit taken, it has a ftrong fifliy 

 fraell, and the fifhermen take great care in making it per- 

 feAly clean, in order to prevent its growing putrid. See 

 Spunge. 



* OcuLATA. Porous, foft, and very much branched, the 

 branches a little compreffed, ereft, and often uniting toge- 

 ther. This, as theafteriflc indicates, inhabits the Britifh feas. 

 It is from five to ten inches high, of a pale yellow colour ; 

 the branches end obtufely. 



MuRiCATA. Porous, much branched, angular, tough, 

 the pores are cylindrical, fubulate, prominent, equal, many- 

 cleft, and hifpid. It inhabits Guinea, on rocks ; it is grey, 

 corky ; the branches are furrounded on all fides with fmall, 

 obtufe, 'haggy tufts ; the ftem is as thick aj a man's finger ; 

 the branches are about the thicknefs of a quill. 



Nodosa. Porous, flightly branched, irregularly formed, 

 rough and very tough, with knotty perforations on the 

 branches. It is found on rocks in the American ocean ; 

 it is of a reddiih-grey, or whitifh, and about the fize of the 

 finger. 



* ToMENTOSA. Porous, irregularly formed, brittle, foft, 

 downy, interwoven with the minuteft fpines. This fpecies 

 inhabits the Britifh, African, and Indian coalts, adhering to 

 marine fubllances ; when frefh it is of a bright orange co- 

 lour, and full of gelatinous flefh ; when dry, it is whitifh, 

 and very light ; and if broken, it refembles the crumb, or 

 foft part ot bread. It appears to be compofed of a num- 

 ber of minute fpines, and upon handling, it ftings and raifes 

 bliiters like cow-itch. 



Bacillabis. Irregularly formed, caulefcent, ereft, 

 with porous branches. It is found in the Norwegian feas ; 

 18 about eighteen inches high, and of the thicknefs of the 

 finger. It is round, of the confiflencc of common fponge, 

 but fomewhat more compaft, with very numerous pores, 

 appearing as if perforated with a fine needle. 



•DlCHOiOMA. This fptciesisdichotomoiis, with ereft, 

 cylindrical, elatlic, woolly branches, proceeding from one 

 fide of the Item. It inhabits European and Indian feas: is 

 from five to fix inches high ; in colour it is of a pale yellow, 

 and full of minute pores. 



* Stui'Csa. Tliis fpecies has round, foft, downy 

 branches. It is found on the SufTex coail ; is three inches 

 high, and of a pale yellow. 



* CuisTATA. Flat, ereft, foft, with rows of fmall pores, 

 a little projefting along the top. This is found on the 

 Britifh fhores, adhering to rocks ; generally about two 

 inches high and three long ; it is of a yelKnvifli colom, and 

 growing in the fhape of a cock's-comb. 



* Palmaia. This fpecies is, as its name imports, pal- 

 mate, with finger-like divifions round the fui lace ; the pores 

 are a little prcmiinent, and irregularly difpofcJ. It inhabits 

 the Sufl'ex coalt ; it is of a reddilh colour, inclining to yel- 

 low, with a foft woolly fubllance, like S. oculata. 



Prolifeha. Flat, wltii numerous ])almate branches, 

 ending in finger-like divifions. It is found in the North 

 American feas ; grows in large bunches, is about fi\ inches 



Vol. XXXIII. 



liigh, very porous, reticulate within, and fuU of minulf 

 Ipincs on the outfide. 



* BoTKYClDEs. Thio is a very tender fpecies, is branched, 

 and covered with bunchea of ovate tubercles, open at the 

 top. It inhabits the Britifh coalls ; is of a bright fliining 

 white colour ; the bunches are made up of oblong, oval tu- 

 bercles, like grapes, open at the cud. The furface, when 

 feen through magnifiers of confiderable power, feeins co- 

 vered withmaffesof three-rayed Ipinoui flars. 



* Panicea. Irregularly formed, whitifh, foft, very ten- 

 der, and full of minute pores. It inhabits the feas between 

 this country and Holland, intermixed with fuci, and other 

 marine produftions ; and is thought, from the fimilarity 

 which it bears to the S. tomentofa, to be a variety of that 

 fpecies. 



Fui.vA. This fpecies is irregularly formed, but flightly 

 branched, fulvous, and it is very rigid. It inhabits the 

 American ocean ; is gelatinous, and brown between the 

 fibres. 



Tabularia. Compreffed, fellile, a little rigid and yel- 

 lowifh, with imall longitudinal tubes. This alfo is an Ame- 

 rican fpecies, generally feated on rocks, frequently blackifh 

 within. 



FiBRiLl.osA. This fpecies is irregularly fhapcd, a little 

 flattened and tender, with divergent, crowded, interwoven 

 fibres, and fcattered toothed pores. It inhabits the Indian 

 ocean, is grey, foft, fan-fhaped, or divided, or caulefcent. 



FAstucuLATA. This is rigid, fub-globular, compofed 

 of fibrous, prifmatic, branched, failigiate bunches. This 

 is found in the Mediterranean fea ; is pale, fulvous, or 

 yellowifh-grey. 



Basta. a little rigid, blackifh, in undulate divifions, 

 with a round ftem. It is an inhabitant of the Indian 

 ocean, and found adhering to itonee. It is as thick as the 

 finger. 



Lichenoides. This is irregularly (haped, with foft, 

 branching, fcattered, and fomewhat connefted fibres. It 

 inhabits the Indian ocean, and refembles a fhrubby lichen. 



Papillaris. Crultaceous, tender, foft, with perforated 

 papilla;. It inhabits the American ocean, as does the next ; 

 it is of a pale grey, and gelatinous. 



Cavernosa. Irregularly formed, feflile, very tough, 

 cavernous, hcr.ce its name, with numerous, prominent pa- 

 pillae on the furface. It is about the fize of a man's hand ; 

 yellowifh-white, fometimes f tdvous within 



SiNUOSA. Cruftaceous, tender, tough, with a thickly 

 porous furface. This is found in the Indian ocean, iacruitin^ 

 other bodies ; it is ot a yellowifii-grey colour. 



Frondosa. Grey, leafy, jagged, tough, fub-reticulate, 

 and feparated into divifions on one fide. This is an In- 

 dian fpecies. 



AL;AKici>f A. Compreffed, lobed, felTile, downy, reticu- 

 late and muricate with iliff hairs on the outfide. It is founrf 

 ill the Indian ocean, and h of a yellowifli-brown. 



Tui'liA. Branched, foft, with afcending branches, every 

 where muricate with ItilT bans. It inhabits the Mediterra- 

 nean, and is of a woolly kind of lubllancr. 



Membranosa. Irregularly formed, flightly branched, 

 cellular, muricate outwardly, purplifh. black. This is found 

 in the Indian ocean. 



CoMPREssA. Simple, compreffed, conic, with a longi- 

 tudinal cleft or aperture internally. It inhabits the Green- 

 land feas, is an inch long ; ereft and tawny. 



PoKciLLLM. Cylinurical, pcdicillatc, with a perforated 

 top. It inhabits the North feas ; is not more than a quarter 

 of an inch long ; whitifli, and faid to rcfcnible a glals 

 tumbler. 



4, F CiMLITA. 



