Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-03-12
SP0NGES AND CORAL.

New York Times.

"NepmRe's Cup" is TO the world of
spouges what Jumbo is to the elephant
kingdom. The famous sponge was
taken from the Pacific ocean. 1t
stands q feet from the ground and
has a bowl just about the size Of .
babys bath tub. According to a legend
which attaches 10 ii, probably on ac-
count Of its peculiar shape, Neptune
formerly used the cup in drinking the
health of the water nymphs. The
sponge is among the many interest
ing and curious things is the Ameri-
can museum Of natural history, and
yesterday it helped TO illustrate the
second OF tie spring course of lectures
by Prof Albert S. Bickmore to the
public school teachers. About $50
school teachers of the gentler sex, all
Of them pert and few of them pref
tv. and q dozen or more dignilied
principals, listened to the lecture in a
hall Which has a capacity for less than
three hundred Erastus Brooks and
Messrs. Gustav Schwab and William
Wood OF the board of educatio,, we're
also present
"lt is only the skeleton of sponge
that is commonly used in removing
dirt, the lecturer said, "a substance
that in the animal sponge is analogous
to the finger nails Of a human hand.
The sponges are found in the various
portions of the world, gathered in
masses below the surface Of the water
The youthful sponge first makes its
appearance on the outer borderof the
adult in the form Of q cell, which
gradually increases in size sud COM
plexity uNtil il bursts through the
maternal tissue and floats at freedom
in the ocean 1t is very minute, and
for time has an independent life 1t
is sowing It's wild oats, so to speak,
+ but as it increases in size IL attaches
itself TO its more matured brothers and
sisters and develops with them into
adult form. Sponges are gathered by
means of graphing hooks. They are
Heated TO lncloscd portions of the sea,
where they are left until the exposure
of the sun and theo wash of the sea
leaves nothing but the skeleton The
various classes and conditions Of
sponges were illustrated with views
and drawings made upon her maj esty's
ship Challenger during three years
voyage around the globe, and with
photographs from the elaborate col
lection OF sponges on exhibition at the
museum.
From sponges the lecturer passed to
corals introducing his subject with a
review of sea anemones, such as are
found during the summer season left
on rocky shores by a receding tide
These, he said. were found to be of
tubular character, containing a series
of radiatiug partitions which secrete
carbonate Of lime in the coral polyps,
and form the denser mass known as
coral In speaking of an individual
coral, Prof. Bickmore said that people
were led TO a general belief that the
animal was very minute lie correct.
ed the impression by producing piece
Of coral the size of brick, which, he
sad, was the body Of q single individ-
ual 1--WE have them. Of all sizes, y he
added, from the point Of the finest
needle to foot in lengt by Eve inches
in width.
Some very beautiful specimens OF
coral were exhibited from a species
that forms in domelike masses in
deep water at the base of the coral
reef, and from the madrepore variety,
which have the branching forms OF
trees and live nearer the surface OF the
water. a fan shaped leaf OF coral,
tinted delicate pink, which was
taken from q reef IN the BerniCdas,
was among the specimens, in striking
contrast to a black, ugly sprig Of the
sumo substance, which was eighteen
inches long and had the appearance
Of a schoolmaster's rattan.