[ 59 ° ] 
LXXVIII. New Obfervations upon the TV or ms 
that form Sponges. By [ohn Andrew 
Feyffonel, M. D. F. R. S. Tranjlated 
from the French. 
Read Feb. 23. rnT“A H E exiftence of the nefts of co- 
I/58 ‘ | rallines and lithophyta, and the me- 
chanifm of their polypi, made me conjecture, that 
it was the fame with refpect to fponges ; that ani- 
mals, nefted in the interftices of their fibres, gave 
them their origin and growth : bat I had not yet 
feen nor difcovered the infedts, nor oblerved their 
work. Sponges appeared to me only as fkcletons : 
hut I at length difcovered thefe worms, which form 
fponges, in the four following fpecies : 
1. Spongia Americana tubo fimilis 3 The tube-like 
fponge of Plumier. 
2. Spongia Americana longifjima funieulo fimilis j 
The cord-like fponge of Plumier. 
3. Spongia Americana capitata et digit at a ■ The 
fingered fponge of Plumier. 
4. Spongia Americana favo fimilis j The honey- 
comb fponge of Plumier. 
Thefe four kinds only differ in form : they have 
the fame qualities, are made by the fame kinds of 
worm, and what may be faid of the one agrees ex- 
actly with all the reft j for I made the fame obferva- 
tions upon them all. 
They 
