100 ACCOUNT OF BRITISH SPONGES. 



Tovientosa is sometimes thrown ashore on the 

 coast of Devon, and is occasionally found adher- 

 ing to the roots of the larger fuci. When recent, 

 it is of an orange colour, and soft ; when exposed 

 for some time, it becomes white, extremely light 

 and brittle ; and when broken, is porous, in 

 appearance," says Mr Ellis, " like the crumb or 

 soft part of bread." 



It will be observed, that pa^kea has been given 

 in a modern work as a British species, distinct 

 from tomentosa, perhaps copied from Turton's 

 Gmelin. The reference, however, of Pallas, to 

 the species in Ellis, is the best guide. It may be 

 proper to remark, that the outside of this sponge 

 is very different in appearance from the inside y 

 it is smooth, and when examined by a lens, some 

 parts are found to be finely reticulated like gauze. 

 It is only in the fractured parts that the bread- 

 like appearance is observed. 



24. Suheria. Crustaceous, compact, tough, with- 

 out visible pbres externally. 



This sponge is of a corky nature, resembling 

 the close texture of the stalk of some species of 

 Boleta. It has rarely any other pores than what 

 are formed by the fibres, which are so extremely 

 fine, as not to be visible to the naked eye, even 

 when broken ; and with the assistance of a pocket 

 lens, they are not definable on the surface. Its 

 colour is orange-yellow when fresh, becoming 



