The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-05-31

it describes what takes place, 1T explains
nothing; and one can not help thinking
that there is a further field for discov-
cry behind these convenient but unsat-
isfactory terms.
The second division in the scale of
animal life includes the great family
of sponges. The sponge differs from
the ameba in being composed of many
cells, instead of single one, and pre-
sents the first indications of division OF
labor in the animal kingdom. One set
of cells are told off to look after the
supplies, while another set see to the
digcsting and building up of material
When first cast on it's own resources,
the young sponge is small Shiny body
covered with minute hairs or lashes, by
the movement of which it roams about
in perfect freedom. By and by the
spongeiing seems to grow tired of
rowing life; or perhaps the continual
dread of being swallowed by one of its
enemies more than counterbalances all
the Joy of its youthful pleasures. AT
all events it manifests desire for set
thing down." and some root-looking
processes having meanwhile appeared at
one end of its body, it attaches itself by
these to the spot where it is to spend tho
remainder of its days. This is usually
the solid rock; but it may be the sur
face of a pebble, or the back OF crus-
tacean. by some newly-acquircd vital
| power, the settled-down sponge now
commences to separate lime or flinty
material, either from it's food or direct
| ly from the sea; and the fibrous
structure, characteristic of the mature
| sponge, soon begins to appear The
| lashes which have hitherto been used
round the outside for catching food are
now drawn inside, just when one would
imagine that their presence outside
would be all the more required for the
increasing wants of the growing sponge.
But the lashes have only been re-
moved to position of greater safety,
not of less usefulness. Chambers are
formed at intervals in the minute canals
which everywhere irrigate the growing
fibrous structure, and in these lies the
future work of the lashes. BY vigor-
GUS concerted movement of all tho lashcs
in the various chambers, water is drawn
in through the small canals, and passed
on to larger canal in the center, which
opens to the top, and is there omitted
with some force. BY this arrangement
food is drawn in all around the sponge,
and as far as possible caught and di-
gested by the Shiny material. Should
an extra lively organism be drawn in and
show an inclination to fight the fbrous
matter acts as protection;and the would
be fighter must either be content to
pass on and be elected by tho funnel,
or run the risk of being absorbed in the
digested slime, and thus end it's fight
ing days for ever.
Although the fibres of an ordinary
sponge do not appear to form any regu-
lar design in their structure, there is
species known to flourish in the neigh
borhood of the Philippine Islands which
does produce sponge of remarkable
beauty and design. This production is
known as Venus fower-baskct, and SO
exquisitely is the pattern worked out
that it may fifty be compared to the
finest lace.
From the few features of sponge-life
just mentioned, it seems difficult to be-
lieve that the sponge can display so
much apparent intelligence without any
organs of special sense. Specially Won
derful is it to contemplate the fairy.
looking lacowork of Venus flower
basket, and know that it has been con.
structed by an organism possessing
not oven the most rudimentary form of
eyes.
The settling-down of the free swim
ming spongeling might possibly be in
duced by the Shiny matter acquiring
more solid, and consequently heavier con-
dition, at the end by which it ultimate
ly becomes attached. The preference
for solid rock as a permanent place of
abode might be accounted for simply by
the prevalence Of rock in the parts of
the sea where sponge-life abounds. But
the formation of small canals, leading
to larger ones which ultimately open to
the outside, the small chambers, with
the movement of the lashes, causing a
current through tho whole system, be-
tokens an adaptation of means to ends
that can scarcely be conceived of with
out associating with it certain amount
of intelligence. The sponge, however,
possesses no nervous system or any of
the features on which intelligence is
usually understood to depend. Again,
the terms ''irritability" and 'discrimi
nation" seem quite inadequate to
meet the case, and recourse is
had with reluctance to the doc
trine of natural selection" or the
survival of tho fittest." This theory
teaches that 3 some bygone age all
spoRges persisted except few who con-
formed to the mode of life that obtains
with sponges of the present day. OF
the families of these few, only those
survived who conformed to the same
rule of life. With zach succeeding
generation the tendency to conform
would become stronger, until now tho
tendency to perform certain operations
is trapsmitted from one generation to
another, just as truly as the individ-
uality itself. Granting that this is tho
true explanation of tho sponge's mode of
life, the question arises, how did the
| first sponge manage to strike out this
line of conduct? If we assume that the
| first sponge had a dispensation of some
; special power-whatever name it might
be called by-could the same power not
be granted to every succeeding gener-
| alton? As in tho case of tho sensitive