| OCR Text |
Show 498 DR. J. E. GRAY ON SPONGES. [May 9, The Corticatcc into genera thus :- I. The cortical layer with stellules. Needles uniform, simple TETHYA. Needles simple and anchor-shaped STELLETTA. II. The cortical layer with globules. Cortical layer with globules only CAMINUS. Cortical layer with globules and needles GEODIA. III. The cortical layer without globules or needles.. ANCHORINA. Dr. Schmidt published a Supplement in 1864, and a second in 1866 ; in the latter he examined Dr. Bowerbank's genera in his work on ' British Sponges,' and states the genera to which he would refer them. Dr. Schmidt's criticism on Dr. Bowerbank's genera is peculiar. Dr. Schmidt forms genera on a very different system to Dr. Bowerbank, and then refers certain species to the genera which he has himself used, and observes that the other species of Dr. Bowerbank belong to different genera. Dr. Bowerbank might with equal fairness have criticised Dr. O. Schmidt's genera on the same system and with equal truth, except that he would not have been able to place the name of Nardo after the generic name; but this is also equally unfair, for, though the genera may bear Nardo's name after them, they are characterized and restricted by Dr. 0. Schmidt. M M . P. Duchassaing and G. Michelotti, in their ' Spongiaires de la mer Caraibe,' Harlem, 1864, 4to, with twenty-five coloured plates, published in the 'Natuurk. Verb. Holland. Maat. Wet. te Harlem/ vol. xxi. 1864, proposed the following arrangement:- Order I. DICTYOSPONGIiE. Keratose network furnished with spicules ; fibres forming a network. Fam. 1. EUSPONGI^E. Keratose network well developed; siliceous spicules wanting or very rudimentary. Subfam. 1. Penicillata;. Horny fibres forming nerves, pencils, or columns, but are never distinctly separate as in the other subfamilies. Subfam. 2. Helerogence. Fibres distinct, and of two kinds. Subfam. 3. Homogenee. Fibres horny, hollow, very rigid, equal, and anastomosing into meshes, but never uniting into bundles. Fam. 2. LITHOSPONGLE. Keratose network formed by siliceous fibres ; texture decidedly stony. Fam. 3. IIALYSPONGIJE. The spicules are siliceous and well predominating over the others. Subfam. 1. Armatee. Spicules needle-shaped, forming a mesh with others, which are anchor-shaped. |
