FEESH-WATEE SPONGES COLLECTED IN THE PHILIP- 

 PINES BY THE ALBATEOSS EXPEDITION. 



By Nelson Ann and ale, 

 Superintendent of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. 



During the recent expedition of the Bureau of Fisheries steamer 

 Albatross to the Philippine Ishmcls a number of fresh-water sponges 

 were collected, which have been referred to me by Dr. Hugh M. 

 Smith, of the United States Bureau of Fisheries and are here re- 

 ported on. 



Genus SPONGILLA. 



Snbgemas EXISFONGrlLLA. 



SPONGILLA MICROSCLERIFERA, new species. 



Sponge light, fragile, tomentose, of a dirt)- white color in dry 

 specimens, apparently without branches and of no great thickness. 



Skeleton practically devoid of spongin, but forming a close and 

 almost regular reticulation in which the radiating and transverse 

 fibers are of approximately equal diameter. The free microscleres 

 extraordinarily abundant in the interstices of the skeleton. 



Spicules: Skeleton spicules short, slender, smooth, sharply pointed 

 at either end, feebly curved. Gemmule spicules slender, cylindrical, 

 nearly straight, bluntly pointed at the ends, irregularis^ covered with 

 short, sharp spines, which are more numerous at the extremities, at 

 Avhich they are usually directed backward, than in the middle. Free 

 microscleres straight or curved, varying greatly in length, of extreme 

 tenuity, densely covered with minute spines. 



Gemmules few, free, small, spherical, without a foraminal tubule, 

 with a thick granular coat, in which the spicules are arranged tangen- 

 tiallv and horizontally in an irregular manner. 



Mm. 



Length of skeleton spicule .254 -.36.5 



Breadth of skeleton spicule .0083 



Length of gemmule spicule .0954 -.112 



Breadth of gemmule spicule . 0062 



Length of free microsclere . 0539 - . 1245 



Breadth of free microsclere . 00103 -. 00207 



Diameter of gemmule .35 -.49 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 37— No. 1702. 



131 



