
          a discovery the other day, which would in a 
minimum, settle the vexed question on sponges
rest upon.

I dredged up some fine specimens of
the Spongia arborescens? and the cells or pores
seem to be literally filled with animalculae,
the most sprightly fellows I ever saw.
their action, at first, had the appearance of the innumerable
lively species of the Asterias! I supposed, of course,
they were the busy fellows building up the sponge
as do the insects at coral making. These feelings
were, however, removed yesterday, by dredging
up some Dulce which was covered with
them.

I thank you for the list presented me
naming my unknown species of Katahdin. Prof.
Gray has forwarded me his views. He calls
the two species of Salix, S. herbacea [Salix herbacea] & repens [Salix repens].
One Agrostis he did not know, or what he
considered as agrostis, the same [added: as] you call the
Poa laxa. I, however, sent him my views,
or rather article for the American Journal containing
a list of the species found at Katahdin, which
he has probably forwarded to the editors.

I have been richly paid for dredging by
the excellent collection of shells I have
made, being something of a conchologist
I shall soon send a list of them to the 
scientific journals. Our coast is very rich
in shells [added: some of] which I think are unknown to
        