io6 



N. ANNANDALE 



than four of the five known species. In Europe about a dozen 

 species of the subfamily are known, and of these only three represent 

 Ephydatia ; while in India I have examined specimens of twenty-one 

 species, of which three also belong to Ephydatia, 



The following is a detailed account of the collection sent by 

 Prof. Ijima : — 



Genus Spongilla, auctorum. 



Subgenus Spongilla, Wierzejs-ki. 



Spongilla fragUis, Leidy. (Pl. II, fig. i). 



S. fragilis, Potts, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1887, p. 

 197, pl. V, fig. ii ; pi VIII, figs, i, ii, iii, iv. 



As the Japanese specimens perhaps differ in some slight 

 particulars from those found in Europe and America, it will be well 

 to describe them carefully. 



SPONGE moderately hard and brittle, forming a thin layer on 

 solid objects ; its external surface covered with minute ridges and 

 projections ; the oscula small but conspicuous, being situated on low, 

 broadly conical eminences from which branching canals radiate 

 beneath the dermal membrane ; pores inconspicuous, minute, scattered. 

 Colour (in alcohol) pale sepia-brown. 



SKELETON consisting of broad but not very coherent primary 

 fibres and distinct transverse ones. 



SPICULES. — Skeleton spicules smooth, stout, sharply pointed, as 

 a rule feebly curved. Gemmule spicules slender, blunt or bluntly 

 pointed, feebly curved, often somewhat swollen in the middle and at 

 the ends, covered with minute spines. 



GEMMULES bound together in groups of various sizes ; each 



