Py Sa Ae ee ee er 
NOTES. 709 
several times repeated fission of other individuals, which attach 
themselves from without and thus become united to the larger 
individuals. Stein has already traced this remarkable process 
and named it gemmiform conjugation. A full discussion of this 
process is given in the “ Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.” for 
June, 1872. 
Spicutes or Sponces.— Dr. J. E. Gray, in treating of the 
Classification of Sponges, in the “ Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,” 
remarks that the order Coralliospongia presents the greatest abun- 
dance and the most diversified forms of spicules. The spicules 
that form the greater part of the skeleton of these sponges are 
generally joined together by a siliceous substance. Dr. Bower- 
bank has repeatedly denied this explanation, and calls them 
siliceo-fibrous sponges; but the perfect form of the spicules and 
the thin layered additional siliceous deposit which unites them 
can be well seen in a section, or in a portion of the skeleton 
disintegrated by the heat of a spirit lamp. 
ome sponges have a fashion of collecting and imbedding in 
their sarcode spicules which are the remains of other sponges ; and 
therefore care is necessary to determine which spicules really 
belong to the organism in which they are found. Some species 
even exercise a selection of certain kinds of spicules for this 
singular kind of absorption. 
Though the form and arrangement of the spicules afford impor- 
tant means of classifying the sponges, the external form 1s an 
equally important character which cannot be disparaged, as has 
been done by some distinguished observers. It is true that some 
of the species are very polymorphous ; but the same iş true of 
Some alge and zoophytes which are still classified with some 
reference to their general forms. 
: NOTES. 
Tue twin peaks, known as Torrey and Gray’s Peaks, the highest 
of the Rocky Mountains, so far as yet ascertained (being consider- 
ably over 14000 feet), were last summer visited by the discoverer, 
Yr. C. C. Parry,-who first ascended and name 
1862, and by the two botanists whose names he gave to them. A 
full account of the ascent of Gray’s Peak, on the 14th of August 
st, by Dr. Parry, Dr. Gray, and numerous citizens of Georgetown, 
