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Show 492 DR. J. E. GRAY ON SPONGES. [May 9, curvatis, elongatis, in valva sinistra duplicibus ; margarita argentea, iridescenie. Long. 49, alt. 41, lat. 24 mill. Hab. Shanghai, North China (Lamprey and Harland). ANODONTA HARLANDI, nob. (Pl. XXVI. figs. 3, 3a.) A. testa transversa, elongato-ovata, ineequilaterali, tenuiuscula, infiata, concentrice striata; margine dorsali postice arcuato, antice excavato; margine ventrali convexo; latere antico rotundato ; latere postico oblique subtruncato, declivitate umbo-nali obtuse angulato; umbonibus antemedianis, inconspicuis, sulcatis; epidermide fusco-olivacea ,- margarita ceerulea, callo sitate apicali livido tincta. Long. 70, alt. 45, lat. 33 mill. Hab. Shanghai, North China (Harland and Lamprey). Specimens of this interesting species from China were first sent over to the British Museum by the late Dr. Harland, to whose memory we have dedicated this shell. DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXVI. Figs. 1, la. Unio (Lampisilis) subtortus, p. 491. 2, 2a. (Dysnomia) lampreyanus, p. 491. 3, 3a. Anodonta harlandi, p. 492. G. Notes on the Arrangement of Sponges, with the Description of some N e w Genera. By Dr. J. E . G R A Y , F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., F.L.S., &c. (Plates XXVII., XXVIII.) Dr. Solander, nearly a century ago, well observed that some sponges are " composed wholly of interwoven reticulated fibres, while others are composed of little masses of straight fibres of different sizes, from the most minute spicula to strong elastic shining spines, like small needles of one-third of an inch long ; besides these there is an intermediate sort between the reticulated and the finer fasciculated kinds, which seems to partake of both sorts."-Zoophytes, p. 182. In the 'Annals of Philosophy,' n. s. vol. ix. p. 431, 1825, I published a short notice on the "Chemical Composition of Sponges," in which I pointed out from chemical analysis, I believe for the first time, that the spicules of several sponges consist almost entirely of pure silica. This paper was very shortly followed by two papers by Dr. Edmund Grant, entitled, 1st, " O n Calcareous Sponges," 2nd, " On Siliceous Sponges," published in the ' Edinburgh N e w Philosophical Journal,' i. pp. 166 & 341, for 1826. Since the publication of m y paper and his, Dr. Grant has pro-i |
