104« ACCOUNT OF BRITISH SPONGES, 



Neill rs in possession of a specimen which he 

 found in Orkney. On such authority, it now be- 

 comes enrolled as a British sponge. 



It must, however, be recollected, that shape 

 alone in such variable subjects, is not always to 

 be depended on ; and I am inclined to suspect, 

 that some other sponges, which occasionally as- 

 sume a crateriform shape, have been confounded 

 with infmdibuliformis, 



Spongia ventilabrum sometimes increases with a 

 regular rnargin from a central stalk, which be- 

 comes more or less concave , and as this shape so 

 materially differs from that frorn whence its name 

 is derived, there is reason for suspecting, that 

 such variety may, for want of comparison, have 

 been confounded with the true infundibulif 'ormis. 

 This crateriform "centilahrum. Professor Jameson 

 very judiciously remarks, is distinguished by its 

 reticular woody veins, which are wanting in the 

 other, and by the nature of the spongy substance 

 which covers and connects these veins, which in 

 Ventilabrum can be rubbed between the fingers 

 when dry ; whereas the Linnaean S, infundibuli- 

 formk is of a flexible elastic nature when dry, 

 and its general consistence approaches to that of 

 the commotl officinal sponge. 



There is, however, another species which ap- 

 proaches nearer to infundibuliformis, being equal- 

 ly destitute of woody veins. This accompanied 

 a crateriform mntilabrum from a scientific friend 

 in Zetland, who, at first sight, without close 



