The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-03-16
CLASS spoNess.'
What These Dsastifus,s cleaning,
Brittle Skeletons Are Like.

What These Dsaattfus,s cleaning,
Brittle Skeletons Are Like.
It 10 not generally known that the beau
tiful animals known as glass sponges are
found within the borders Of the United
States, yet ono species at least is common,
though rarely taken, off the coast Of the
southern California islands, especially on
the so called srouper banks Of Santa Cata-
lima, where fishing Is carried on in water
500 or 600 feet deep.
1t was here that an attractive specimen
was found, being brought up by fish
hook. The sponge was species Of hol-
tenia, probably Holtenia carpenteria,
about 10 inches in height and nearly in
diameter. The long, glasslike roots had
been torn of when II was brought up In
appearance tho sponge was veritable
porcupine, long, needlelike spicules stand
ing out all over 1t, the longest three inches
In length, needles 80 sharp and brittle that
1t was difficult to hold or touch the
SPONGE and at glance it resembled some
odd or fanciful cactus.
The sponge was vase shaped and would
hold three pints Of fuid bullying out in
the center, with an opening at the top suf
flciently large to admit the closed hand.
The long spicules reaching out from it
presented q splendid appearance when held
up to the sun and resembIed glossy hairs,
cleaning and sointillating wherever the
sun flashed along their surfaces. Many Of
the spicules were overgrown with an at
tractiye coraline, SO that they appeared
branched like the limbs of tree. In
these mimic branches hung pendent many
miniature pink hued starfishes and
shrimps, while fastened to them, coiled
and interlaced, were the barrowlike eggs
Of skate.
That these sponges are fairly common
In deep water offshore is evident by the
small specimens often brought up and the
pieces found on the outer islands, especial
ly San Nicolas, but never before has 30
large and perfect a specimen been seen.
The glass sponges are 80 called because
their skeleton, or the spicules, resemble
glass, being formed of silica instead OF
lime and closely resembling spun glass.
The most beautiful of the group is the
Venus flower basket, or Euplectella asper-
gillum, Of the most beautiful description.
When the first specimen was found 1t was
sold at a fabulous price, and its true ma.
ture was not suspected, but finally speci-
men was taken by a naturalist, who made
the interesting discovery that the delicate
and fragile glasslike vase that seemed to
be the work of some cunning East Indian
was nothing more nor less than the skeleton
Of q sponge whose spicules were siliceous.
In the water and alive the sponge Is not
an attractive object, being Of gray color
and half buried In the mud, anchored by
long glasslike streamers. But, once dead
and relieved Of its covering, 1t becomes
one Of the most Respondent objects Of the
sea-a fairy vase that might well have
been modelled by the sea gods as q gift to
Venus.
This sponge has the spicules 40 arrang-
ed that they present the appearance Of
squares. 1t is closed at the top and sides,
hollow in the interior and is occasionally
the prison Of small crustaceans which on.
ter the interstices when very young and,
unable to escape, become prisoners for life
and in the skeleton may be seen with their
claws protruding through the opening,
creating much wonder among the uniniti-
ated as to how they obtained ingress into
the CLASSY prison.
Another interesting glass sponge Is by.
which resembles a glass rope.
The sponge itself Is small cup, perched
upon u long series of glasslike stems,
which are buried in the mud This was for |
q long time sold as the skeleton of the lit. |
tie coral polyps which are parasites on its |
stems. -Scientific American.