BY DR. R. VON LENDENFELD. 123 



Besides these, Aristoteles describes (3)., another genus, which 

 according to O. Schmidt (4). is a Sarcotragus O. S. ; eo-n b'/IXXov 

 yevos ov KaXovcnv dnXvcruis 8ia to pfj 8vvacrai TrXiiveo-Oai." Aristoteles 

 mentions that the sponges contract in rough weather, so as not to 

 be torn from the rocks by the breakers. Because they are 

 covered with dirt when brought to the surface, he thinks that 

 they live on organic substances, which fall on them by chance. 

 He knew that sponges can be propagated by cuttings, a subject we 

 shall have to dwell on in detail further on. At least he mentions 

 that sponges, which have been broken off grow out again (5). He 

 thought that the sponges were animals and not plants, which 

 appears evident from the fact that he lays great stress on their 

 similarity to plants, which of course he would not do if he thought 

 that they were plants. 



Aristoteles is the only man of the ancient time whose writings 

 on this subject are worth recording. Plinius (6), (23 — 79, p. C), 

 Dioscorides (7), and Claudius Aelianus (8), (about 180, p. C), 

 only copied Aristoteles' works without mentioning his name. They 

 add to the correct statements of Aristoteles a lot of foolish myths. 



Present Time. 

 II.— From Belon to Grant, 1553 — 1826. 



During the dark time of the middle age when the Church 

 prosecuted and burnt all men of science, no one attempted to 

 augment our knowledge of Biology, so that we have to pass over 

 those ages which are a stain to humanity, from the old Aelianus 

 180, p. C, to Wotton, 1552, without being able to record a single 

 paper on our subject. 



Full 1400 years passed away without leaving any trace in 

 history of our knowledge of Spongidse. 



(3.) Aristoteles. Trepl t^mav io-roplas. Liber V., Cap. 16, § 80. 

 (4y. O. Schmidt. Die Spongien des Adriatischen Meeres, Seite 35. 

 (5). Aristoteles. ivepi fawv iaropias- Liber V., Cap. 16, § 77. 

 (6), Plinius Seeundus C. Historic/, Naturalis. Liber IX. , Cap. 45. 

 (7)- Dioscorides P. Trepl v\r]s IciTpiiajs Liber V. 

 (8). Aelianus Claudius, Trepl ^cowir Liber VIII. Cap 16. 



