84 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [January, 1913. 
recognized as component parts of a family distinct from the 
Spongillidae. For the present it seems convenient to make the 
presence or absence of microscleres a test for the separation of 
the freshwater sponges other than those confined to Lake Baikal 
into two subfamilies, the Spongillinae with microscleres and 
the Potamolepidinae without them. Most of the sponges of the 
Lake of Tiberias belong to the latter subfamily. 
SUMMARY. 
1. It is convenient to divide the Spongillidae into two 
subfamilies, the Spongillinae, in which microscleres are pre- 
sent, and the Potamolepidinae, in which they are apparently 
not produced. 
belongs to the Spongillinae. This race (syriaca, Topsent) has 
and from the R. Barada near Damascus. 
. The four species of Potamolepidinae fall into two genera, 
both of which are described as new, viz. Cortispongilla and 
Nudospongilla. 
4, former genus is monotypic and the one species 
: n ur in. 
China and probably in Central Africa and Celebes. Possibly 
Nudospongilla is related to M etschnikowia, Grimm, a genus 
e 
certain sponges of the genus Veluspa (Lubomirskia) from Lake 
Baikal are 1 
relationship, 
