Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-09-13
PhYSiologY of a Snonoe.

AJoAOiOSy VI d CpCuSc.
If we take morspl of a toilet-sponge.
ana put 1t under microscope of mode
artc po yer, We find that it is made 4 .
ot a mass of complicated network
There Is more or less regularity in the
meshes; and these are found of various
patterns in the different species. This
heap or mass of network. commonly
called sponge, is really the skeleton
OF the sponge. When living it is COW
cred with, or literally embedded in, Il
Slalry, gelatlnOus, or albuminous sub
stance. But this is so unlike ordinary
animal tissue. for it seems, really, tissue
less, that it has received the technical
name sarcOde. This sarcode fills the
meshes above mentioned and is held
IN place by innumerable tiny spicules,
mixed IN, so to speak, like the hair in
the mortar of the plasterer. So little
consistency has this sarcode, or sponge
flesh, that but for this natural felting it
would dissolve and flow away. Now,
take an ordinary sponge into the hand.
We observe several large apertures, at
or toward the top. These are called
the oscula. They are the exhalant
vents of the entire system. At these
openings is expelled, with some force,
the water that has been taken into the
living mass, and deprived of its nour-
ishment. But how is the water brought
in through that glairy sarcode? Be-
sides the oscula, which are few, and
readily seen, even in the skeleton, they
are innumerable tiny inlets known as
pores. These are not visible in the
skeleton, as they really belong to the
sponge-flesh. These pores open into
the meshes, and enter directly certain
little cavities, or chambers, that stand
connected with circuitous passages,
which finally lead to the large outlets,
or oscula. The pores are very small,
and yet, compared with the cells, are
very large. The little chamber into
which the pore opens has its walls built
up with these uniciliated cells. Now,
if We could only peep into the privacy
of that chamber, with it's walls of living
stones, without making any disturbance,
We should find every cell lashing its
cilium with great vigOr, aud all in such
harmony of accord, that it would seem
like
"Beating time. time, time.
In a sort Of Runic rhyme"
The beating of each lash is doubtless
downward. that is, inward -, effect
of which is q vacuum above, into which
the water presses through the external
pore. A second result of this down.
ward beating of the ella from myriad
of cells is, the impulsion of the passing
water through the ramifications leading
to the oscula. Thus the running of the
waters in the sponges ancient "Runic
rhyme" Every sponge, then, has a
very complete aquiferous system its
couduits, at the entrance of and along
which the bnsy one-lashed cells occupy
forcing the water along; and
the oscula, which may be likeI ed to the
outlets of sewers. During this circula-
tion of the fluid through the living
mass, the sarcode obtains its nourish-
ment, and the skeleton its growth by
sort of absorption, or what is known to
the Psychologist as endosmotic action of
the cells. We have then mentioned
above three clearly specialized func-
tions, as represented respectively by the
inhalalt pores, the exhalant oscula, and
the uniciliated cells. And it is certainly
4 matter of prime importance that each
cell should have this single lash. In
TACT, it raises it to the rank of pasha
with one tail, in community where all
ire pashas of this dignity, aud each one
/ commissioner of the water department..
md a commissionary of subsistence.
u Both the oscula and pores can be
,losed at the will of the animal but
.he oscula are permanent apertures
whereas the pores are not constant, but
,an be formed afresh whenever and
wherever required. ."-Popular Science
Monthly.