330 Mr. A. Dendy on the 



II. The Systematic Position and Classification of the 

 Chalininse. 



In dealing with this portion of our subject it is necessary 

 in the first place to endeavour to decide the all-importaut 

 question " What is a Chalinine sponge ? " 



In our Preliminary Report * on the ' Challenger ' Mon- 

 axonida Mr. Ridley and I have divided the suborder Hali- 

 chondrina (Vosmaer) (excluding the SpongilUdse) into the 

 following four families : — (1) Homorrhaphidai, (2) Heteror- 

 rhaphidee, (3) Desmacidonidse, (4) Axinellidte. 



The Homorrhaphidae are characterized by the fact that the 

 megasclera are all diactinal, either oxea or strongyla, and 

 there are no microsclera. They are divided into two sub- 

 families — (1) the Renieringe, in which the spicules may be 

 united together by a small proportion of spongin, but are 

 never completely enveloped in it ; and (2) the Chalininse f, in 

 which a considerable amount of spongin is present, typically 

 forming a thick sheath, completely enveloping the spicules 

 and uniting them into strong fibres. 



According to this arrangement, then, a Chalinine sponge 

 is a Halichondrine loith diactinal megasclera [skeleton- 

 spicules) and no microsclera {fiesh -spicules) , and with a large 

 amount of spongin uniting the spicules into strong fibres. 



Since the publication of our Preliminary Report I have 

 had occasion to pay very considerable attention to this group 

 of sponges, and have not yet seen any reason to alter our 

 original view. 



\)r. von Lendenfeld appears, however, to think differently 

 upon this subject, and of course every man has a perfect right 

 to his own opinion. Strange to say, however, in the paper 

 under discussion he gives the following scheme of classifi- 

 cation (p. 701) : — 



" Siibordo Halichondbina. 



1. Fam. Spongillidce. Mit Gemmulse, 



2. Fam. HomarrhapJiidce, Oline Gemmulse und ohne difFerente 



Fleisckaadeln, 



* In this and other cases I refer to our Preliminary Report rather than 

 to our complete Report, because at the time when Dr. von Lendenfeld 

 wrote his paper the latter was not published. 



t By an oversight these names appear as ^^Renierina " and '^ Challnina " 

 in our "Preliminary Report ; this oversight is rectified in the full Report. 



