Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-10-12
The LIVING spono.
Instructive Facts About III.
rcsentativs oil AuIua, M

-, o. Animal Life
The sponge Of commerce i
departed animal life, the a..a'le y
basis. or axis. Of the animal s y
name. and TO proye its animal .has
we need but TO submit It 10 II. s''gia
recognize the odor of horn fam;, a'e 70
the destruction by fire, Of an;ms, u
stance. The sponges. howeva va SUB
long to the protozaa. or lowest -. ..
subdivision. and are Of a very s s,
type Of organization. so low H.. .ahpls
recently it has been subject 80 :, asla
pute whether they should be a.e.; "
to the animal or vegetable kInsd losa
Recently a rem arkable cjren 5an
through the sponge has besn s' ~ !.
covered, and by inspection s ~
the microscope it may be ob,.s WIN
that the water which is taken r. ~
sponge. through the small rora. 'ae
elected at the larger ones. and ~.
these streams which it elects !. Y
minute particles plainly disceruina''
The sponge is supposed to receive ' !.
nourishment through the orr.''
particles in the water. e"'s
The sponge. in life. supports Az
cate flesh-like jelly which the slicb,...
touch or pressure destroys. BIZ te,r;as
the delicate membranes and al,oa;a
the fluids within to escape; it is 81 ~
odor, and of different formation il ~
various kinds. If sponges are AM d
tive to injury. they have failed to ina
cate it by any sign. for though nv
mitted TO tearing, boring, pinebin,
with hot pinchers. and to the nc,;on !,
chemicals, 1t has never quiyerel !.
shrunk. as though capable of sufr...
ing.
The species is proragated by bn1
ding growth Of young sponges, MANY
OF which remain to increase tho ORR.
nal mass. while large proportion
drop from the parent sponges anil sept
their own fortunes in the seas. Thours
full-grown sponges are fastened to Il,
rocks. and never change their resting.
| places. the young sponge buds. or If.
tie sponges. move freely through The
water until they fluid a rock in ou;e.
waters. which seems to suit them, and
to which they attach thcms lives to re.
main during life. In their motion
through tn, water they are assisted
by small ella or hairs, which move
rapidly like oars. and seem TO prope
them on their way; when the animal
becomes stationary, these celia, being
no longer required, drop off
In living state many spongos OK.
hibit lively colors from iridescence Of
different coloring ma tcrs. and tbs
forms of the frame work vary with The
different kinds. some being cup-shaped.
others nearly globular. others cnnical.
cylindrical, etc; some arc branehel
and some are simple. The Internal
structure Of sponges differs according
to locality. and In different species;
there is little vidualiiy. however,
in these strange developments Of life
Two individuals Of one class quickly
unite to form one if placed in contac.
A spo ge cut apart with knife VII
unite again, even if cut in several
pieces and placed in different relations
Parts of different species. however,
will not coalcsce though placcl in con
tinued contact
The best living sponge Is foand,
usually. at depth of eight to ten
fathoms of water. bat is known TO exisi
vt great depths; one variety has beer
found, in the Gulf of Mlcri, at TIKI
depth of a hundred and eighty.fEt
fathoms. An inferior sponge is foani
on the coasts of Florida and TIE Wcs
ladies; two species of better quality
are brought from the LN ant Tn
TURKS and the inhabitants Of the Ia
hama Islands do large nsde il
sponge, and crews of between foty al
five thousand fishermen are ATTACHES
to alb ut x hundred bouts, which III
chiefly engaged in the spong fish,.
along the coas of Syria. Gambia
and B trbary. The divers take dow
with them a stone of triangular SHAFT
pierced and fastened 10 rope at on
angle; the rope is attached to the boa
above, and the diver, by means Of ia
stone and rope, manages to reach U
sponges. which he tears from the roeS
and places under his arms; whe
, ready he signals to the men in u
: boat, by pulling on the rope. ard the
pull him up. This is the most eifsctu
/ mode of obtaining sponge. alhous
the Greeks of the Morea obtain it !
means of pronged instramc'
which, however, tears the spons
and reduces their value.
, coarser kind of sponge is found abo
the Bahama and Yves, Indian island
r of which about Two hundred and fite
thousand pounds are sent annually
Great Britain. There is n species
sponge familiar 70 British shores WIN
is almost tree-lk, in form, with nal
erous branches. TIL re is also ire
water sponge which grows to
height of foot ard is divided III
many branches, but is texture
: delicate that the slightest handi'
, tears it; it is also of foul oa0E
| sembling that of stngnant ditches-
J. Observer.