Telegram-herald., 1890-06-01


q oe<-s are tci1 os ~ loox after re
sEgsiiss. 'sa-ls S1ocnsr sss ses ~ rha
c.gssti1lg 3C1 cGlleLny ~ material
H1ea aEst cast o. - e@z rssl1sces,
E1e Fo-ls' svozsgc - s--@4Ll s-i1y osly
CosSnsG slEk zl-.ssSs LzLrs or L1slaez, -
sLs G-OxeEzzss.aS u ~tlSe u soaaas zbozs
n pertecs frsed2g- - 4za y sha
spongs-1g sseE4s = gro8 ureG q
rVTiag llte, " perhaps Uls so1Ula4L
dEe@1 ~ Ceing swallowed - oEs q Is
e1euiss mere than counter ba ances al
the !oy q tss youthful pleasures. As
49, eBents i1 rnantfess desire tor --set-
Cl1g 1csl sl1 soZls rogt-loczlug
Pn1ceSses l4Faag laeaas5ile sgpearel a.
ols s1d u - bodY, l. attaches self oY
these ~ tho spos where tt - 70 SPEED the
renal 1der 4 irs Gays. This Is usually
ths solId rock; ba4t IL nav DC TIE sur
face u yen54,s. or the ba@k u cFGs-
t2oean- By some uewfy-aequired vial
power, the serlled-doBn sponge nov
conlences % separate line or ninty
material either fro1 is foosi oE direcl-
y IEoa tls sea- and the rsro1s
structure, chaF4ctertslie 0f TIE mature
sponge, sooa begins - appear The
lasbss s1lch have hitherto been used
roand tho outsids for catching food are
nov drasn ilsite, r1ss when one would
imagine that thslF presence outside
would 10 ~ tho more required for the
increasing aants u ths groxtng spoAge-
Bat the lashes have only been re-
moved 20 . position OF greater safety.
not cf less usefulness Chambers are
formed a. intervals ia the minute canals
which everywhere trr igats the growing
1bro1s structure. ana ia these lies tho
falare xork ~ the .asneA by yigos-
Gus concerted movement ell the l3shcs
IN lte various cham bers, water Is drawn
ia through tho small canals, and passed
on % l--Ccr canal N the center, which
opens % ths top and Is thero emitted
Witl some force. BY this arrangement
tco1 ls trlgn in aIl around TIE sponge,
lad IS f-- zs possible caugAt aud d.
sea -ed bT tas slimy material Should
ga extra lively organism % drawn IN and
show - Inclination % light the 1brous
matter acts IS protect.onsand the would
% fighter muss either be content 70
pass on an1 be elected BY the funnel.
or run t1e risk % bcinS absorbed Ia the
dl-es-ea slime. and thus end is fight
Ing days for ever.
Although the Gbres OF an ordinary
sponge ID not appear 70 form any regu-
IL design In their structure, there IS a
species kaowa % flourish IN the neigh
boshood of the Philippine Islands which
does produce . sponge Of remarkable
beauty and dosign. This production 3
known - Venus' flower basket, and SO
exquisitely Is tho pattern worked out
that 10 may ftly DO compared 70 the
finest lace.
From The few features Of sponge-Hfe
5Gst mentioned, IL seems difficult 70 be-
llcvc that the sponge can display so
much apparent intelligence without any
organs OF special sonso. Specially won
derfql is IL to contemplate the fairy
looking lacework OF Venus flower
basket, and know that IL has been con-
structed By an organism possessing
net even the most rudimentary form OF
eyes
The settling-down OF the FREQ swim
ming spOngeling might possibly bo in
dlced by the slimy matter acquiring a
more solid, and sonseque ntly heavier con-
dltion. at the end By which il ultimate
" becomes attached. The preference
for solid rock IS o permanent place OF
abode might DC accounted Tor simply By
the prevalence Cf rock in tho parts Of
the see where sponce-life abounds. But
. a. l.
I % larger onos which ultimatei open 70
I tho outside. he small chambers, with
tho movement 4 the lashes, causing a
current through the whole system. be-
+ tokens al adaptation Of means 10 ends
that can scarcely Be conceived OF with
/ out associating with Is = certain amount
/ of intelligence. The sponge, however.
/ possesses no nervous system or any OF
/ tho features on which IN telligence Is
| Usually understood 70 depend. Again.
I tho terms ''irritaeility" and 'discrimi-
nation" seem quite inadequate 70
meet the case, and recourse is
+ had with reluctance 20 the doc
trine ot natural selection" or the
survival of the Gt:est." This theory
teaches that In some bygono ago all
+ sponrcs perished except few who con
formed % the mode OF life that obtains
with spon-cs of tho present day. OF
the families of these few, only those
survived WHO conformed 70 the same
rulo Of lifo. Win each succeeding
rencration tho tendency 70 conform
would become stronger. until now the
tendency 20 perform certain operations
= transmitted from one generation 70
another, Just as truly as tho individ-
Eali.y i.scit Granting that this Is the
truo explanation Of the sponge's mode OF
/ lie. Tho question arises, how did the
I FIRST sponre manage % strike out this
+ limo Of conduct2 II 20 assurao that the
+ arst sponge had q disponsation OK some
trccial p0vcr vhatovCr name 60 might
bo called by-could tho same power not
be granted % every succeeding goaec
atiou2 - I'm the case Of tAo sensitive
plants already referred 20. theTe seens
90 Do soulo mystery IN the iife-bistoVI
q the sponge which biologists have not
yet solved. and possibly never will
Tho next group - The spouges IN the
animal scale includes tba sea-aneno1e
and ielv-fshcs. ard it Il IN these curl
ous creatures shat the frst appearance
- = rudir,entary ne-voDs system ant
organs % special sense arc found 20 ap
pear -Cb1ubo-s' Journal