The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-10-22
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animals creature which may be said 20
form the first link in the great chain of
life which ends with man The micro
scopic protozoon is by no means unfre-
quently to be met with in stagnant wa
ters and vegetable infusions. 1t is mi
nute semifuld mass, presenting scarcely
any Evidence of distinct organization,
even of the simplest kind When the
creature. in the course Of its progress,
meets with a particle capable of atfordipg
1T nutriment. lis gelatinous body spreads
itself over and around the precious NOR
sc! so as to envelop it completely. The
substance thus taken into this extempor-
zed stomach undergoes q sort of diges-
tlou, the nutrive material being extracted,
and the indigestihe part being, as it
were, squeezed out of the body. Of the
mode OF its reproduction nothing yet is
known, save that it undergoes multipli-
cation by self division, and that portions
separated from the mass, either BY cut
ting or tearing, can develop themselves
into independent beings. This living
spcck of jelly which can get along with
out legs, and which convert any portion
OF It's substance into a s,omach, may be
regarded as type of protozoa. In the
living sronge the skeleton, usually COM
posed of tibrous network, strengthened
by spicues of mineral mater, is clothed
with a soft flesh. Most sponges are
strengthened by calcarous or silceous
spicu'es. and the variety of forms pre-
sented by these bodies is almost endless.
In the ordinary sponge, spongia otic@-
ndlis, the fbrous skeleton is almost en-
tire y destitute of spicnles, but in lhe
curious and beautiful sponge Of Barhs-
does the entire network of tibres is coln-
posed Of silex, and is so transparent that
it looks as if composed of spun glass
With the exception of those THAI pc
long to the genus Spongilta, all knqSh
spons6< are marine, but they differ very
much in habit of growth some are oHtg
found at considerable depths, others llyg
near the surface, and mauy attach them.
selves to rocks and shells, between the
tide marks The average depth at whicti
the best Turkey sponges ars fonn4 is
thirty fathoms those of an iulcIiol quail
itv are found at lesser depts.
AL the fuer descriptions of sponges
are obrained from Islands in the Medlt-
erranean, and the coarSer description trout
the Bahama banks and the coast of Florl;
da About Que thousand bales, eaoti
weighing 300 lbs, are shipped annually
f,om Nassau. New Providence. Spongs
fishing is also carried on at Key West iH
Florida, where about 100000 lbs, ars
gathered annually. Our great source Of
sponges, however, is the Bahamas.
The Andsor Island and the Gays are
the great spnnging districts. Thq
sponge is usually found 10 grassy and
rock patches near the shores of this group.
Crawls for cleaning these are to be seeH;
constructed with stakes about two inches
chick, driven into the mud, and forming
square of twelve feet sufficiently higE
to prevent the sponge washing out. 1E
these the sponge is soaked and washed
frequently, after having been buried ii
sand about a week or ten days, when it
loses the black animal matter, which has
an offensive smell. When first gathered
the pieces are wrenched from The rocks
with a strong two pronged fork fixed to a
pole. The sponges are of four kinds
yellow, glove, velvet and mop. The first
is the most valuable kind the second IS
the toughest, and used much in stables
for its softness. In 1859, 207 $50 pounds
of Bahama sponges were imported INTO
:ne United States. At Nassau, New
Providence it may be seen in vast quauti-.
ties on clear days spread on the roof rf
the houses, and hung upon fences to dry.
All ,he sponges which are hawk ked around
our streets for sale, either come frUul Key
West or Nassau.