The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1882-01-28

Oilr trlfvtipfa found thu Pot NJ ualdi
Then llp nreaneMan brought llelludsc and
SIpA''gOwn' and ALL fro@ the LeCd Sf,Sss Il MAJ
.-------.-- >-.---.-- IfifH hn
SpON0Es. b,, .at,s i,
Sponges ,trc 10 common and 80 famll-
mr that many of Us have used them all
our lives without stopping to admire
thclr curious and Interesting structure,
orlo inquire into the history Of their
past lives, We may, indeed, have NO
tlccl that thry can BE- squeezed into n
very small spac,, and that they will re-
turn TO their natural shape when the
pressure Is removed. We have perhaps
noticed aiso that they are FIJI ~ little /
holes Or pores, and that they wil ab-
sorb an astonishing quantity, OF water,
lou know there hats been doubt |
whether sponges belong 10 the animal
or to the vegetable kingdom. For q
long time naturalsts were In doubt about
the matter. but II IL now settled that
they arc animals, living and growing on
the bottom of the ocean. The only part
OF the sponge that reaches us Is the
skeleton. The living sponge is a very
different ohjccl, Shall. vs. 500 what wo
can lind out about itp u
Upon naming the word "nnimal." n
picture comes before our minds Of some
creatures having 4 mouth 70 oat with.
and eyes to sec with, and possessing
feet or wings. or some other means q
moving about; but, tho sppngas arc far
from thls They arc, probably the low
est animals with Which you arc ac-
quaiuted. They have mo- nerves. no
4 heart no lungs, ~ mouth and no siomr
Live spongcs consist of jelly-lIke
bodies, united In q mass, aud supported
by q frame work Of horny flbcrs, and
, ntedls-shaped objcctscalled "spicules. "
4 This Jelly like llesh.f ooveriag MI parts
Of The skeleton, Is about rs thick rs tho
white Of an egg, but II decays immedi.
atcly after the adeath of then sponge.
| During life The flesh ,prcsenls many
bright colorsi In some species II y Of 4
} brilliant green. while In others II Is or!
angc, red. yellow. -ete---~.--~-srss
iho Huu'.NVih Nhir1 ~ uActth
kinds Of sponge. IN those which hrs
! valuable for our use II consists Of horn
iibers interviewer In all directions unit
they form q mass Of lacy nat-work. Thii
/. you can easily see with the naked eye
: but BY looking through d microscope
J You will sec beauty you had not Imhg
ined. and which but for -tbis valuAbl,
instrument would never have beci
!; dreamed o. In our ordinary sponge
these fbers are all that remain Of tn
|. former living animal, tho soft flesh hav
Ing been removed. II kfound that III,
horny fibcrs nrc eornposaiof substance
o very similar 10 tho silk Of silk-worm'l
!. cocoon. They are exceedingly tougl
y and durable Most of us have discover
0 ed thai a good sponge becomes hks q
. old and tried friend, and that unlewi
1 l. abused Il seems as II Il might nevc
. wear out 1iGI ~ 81 u3hT "a -
In looking a. any sponge you vii
> notice large holes through Il, with man,
! small pores scattered between thcm
Q The living sponge u constantly dnwinI
Q In water at tho small pores. This ysis
I passcsthrough set of branching canals
y and Il thrown out from the large hole
|. on tho surface. With . microscope littl'
fountains may be seen constantly play
\ Ing from the large holes 81 Q fIvin,
. sponge. The circulation Is kspt up Il
|. the canals by the movement Of /" cilin,
!. which are delicate threads waving gcut
4 ly but continually. The word 4rill
!. means :. .eyalashes;" let usrenenber Il
4 for this Is name We shall often want 4
!. uss. The stream 81 water thus passin,
!, through the sponge brings to cvery par
4 Of Il small particles Of food. and all th
= air Il needs for breathing purposes.
4 Evwything thst lives innst eat an
n breathe, but how Is the sponge 10 es
without n MOUTH When the foo
touchc. any part Of is body. tho soft
jally-like flesh sinks In 10 form lIttl
/ bag; at the same une the suroumdin
!. parts creep out over tho morscl Of food
n until u n entirely covered and dsgsstcd
:. After this the flesh returns 10 IL oFiRin1
:, position, and any. shell or other lrnfus
~ that remains from the meal 4 washe
M away. III 'Hi H1f ; e'si 30 { U
= spongcs hayc . curious manner
a producing their young. At certain sel
t. sous very small oval masses of Jelly n
Iss formed on the inner surface Of Che q
!, mails. which finally drop of. They r
. main IN the canals for time. and b
y comc perfect eggs. after which they q
thrown out By The stream issuing fro
the fountains. and instead Of falling
the bottom. A. We might suppose sur
helpless ma~es a jelly would do. n,
he swim around as II they meant 70 hare
ss' little sport before commencing The sob
on realities Of life. iIf 6 N'lliNi4 4
mt You will BE- interested. 70 know n
M whils these jelly-like eggs were restil
% In the canals of the parent sponge. Dc
II cate ella (which we learned sboot i
~ now) were forming Al one end of
no eUr. These ella strike the water VI
bis rapid mo<ion. and the egRs are row
led about through Il until they sattle do'
m and attach Themselves 10 some rock
ley shell on tho bottom Of the ocean. .
The finally grpw up into tho perfect spsuI
ing The wnfers arr suarmine with W
81 eggs q certain seAsons. and great On
ON titles of them are esssu BY IaFFer :
rs mails. Ek
oci Tsponees srs common n nearly
|ng paris q tho worId, and lhsy al
- Rrcaily in siss and quality. tee :
~ SprcIes heing useful 70 man. 81
- species ars nearly oond. c<hsu -
Wnys cup-shapgd. 49, l1p.s&nr@1, {
iin sosae brlAchsd: A freukeuf1f ~
y 4 frequently iuare ", oak- sLze2z
- CuwIsy 1P9n eI'a1z - 60.
~ - Z - - 8