568 
DE. CAEPEXTEE’S EESKARCHES OX THE EOEA^IINTFEEA. 
with an entire chamber of the earlier whorl, that the areolation of the outer wall may 
be regarded as a sort of attempt at that complete subdivision of the cavity, which we 
have seen to be fully carried out in Heterostegina 114), 
231. Thus, then, it appears that not only in the minute stmcture of its shell, but also 
in its general plan of conformation, Cari^enteria essentially approximates to the ordinary 
Foraminiferous type, its affinity to the 8pongiada being rather apparent than real ; for 
although each cone does at first view seem to resemble the papilla of a Sponge enclosed 
in a shelly case with a terminal oscule, yet the internal structui-e of that cone does not 
bear out that resemblance. The link of affinity, however, seems to be supplied by the 
spongeous character of the animal substance which occupies the chambers (fig. 9} ; this 
(according to the evidence afforded by the dry specimens which alone I have had the 
opportunity of examining) not only possessing far more consistence than the sarcode- 
body of the Foraminifera, but being supported, in the large chambers at least (fig. 6). 
by sponge-like spicules (fig. 16), whose form resembles that of the simplest spicules of 
Halichondria, and whose composition is siliceous. 
232. The idea which had occurred to myself of the possibly parasitic nature of this 
sponge-like substance, has been very strenuously advocated by Mr. Boweeb.vxk. on the 
ground of the frequency with which the surface of dead coral and the valves of living 
as well as dead shells are covered with Sponges, and. the consequent probability that 
any multilocular organism growing on such surfaces would be so penetrated by the 
sponge that all its chambers would be filled by the parasite. The following consider- 
ations, however, seem to me strongly to militate against such a view ; — 1st. That neither 
on the surface nor in the substance of the specimen of Porites covered with the cones 
of Carpenteria, nor on that of the valves of the Pecten and Cardita on which isolated 
specimens of Carpenteria occur, is there the least trace of spongy structiue ; — 2nd. That^ 
notwithstanding this marked difference in their habitats, all the specimens of Carpentena 
yet examined have their cavities occupied by the same spongy substance : — 3rd. That a 
firm brownish yellow substance of far greater consistence than the sarcode of Forami- 
nifera, is found to occupy even the smallest and earliest chambers of Carpente?'ia 
(figs. 2, 4, a), filling them so completely that it can scarcely be supposed to be anything 
but the animal body properly belonging to them ; and that although the substance in 
question is there destitute of spicules (the chambers being too small to accommodate 
them, as will be seen by the comparison of figs. 4 and 16, allowing for the difterence 
of magnifying power), yet it is obviously the same with that in which spicules are 
copiously imbedded in the larger and later chambers : — and 4th. That notwithstanding 
the multitudes of sections of various Foraminiferous shells which 1 have made diuing 
the last ten or twelve years, 1 have never found their chambers to be occupied by 
a parasitic sponge of any description. I may add to these considerations the fact men- 
tioned to me by Mr. Denis Macdonald, that he has met with various forms of branching 
Sponges*, possessing a peculiarly solid calcareous skeleton, and in many respects 
* These specimens were collected during the vo3’age of II.M.S. ‘ Herald ’ in the Australian Seas, and 
