SPONGES IROM COASTAL BEACHES OF N S. WALES — WHITELEGGE. 63 



knife those sponges to which the black scum still adheres; (4) in 

 squeezing them to force out the remaining gurry and water, and 

 placing them on shore; (5) in threading them by means of a large 

 needle, threaded with coarse twine, and tying them in bunches 

 about five feet in circumference. .' . . The use of the Mediterranean 

 diving system in the Florida Sponge Fishery has been experiment- 

 ally tried ... It is reported that a thorough test of the feasibility 

 of this method was made, and that it was found impracticable , . . 

 The principal reasons for abandoning this attempt to introduce 

 improved methods into the fishery are as follows: — (1) The expense 

 of maintaining a crew of divers was out of proportion to the value 

 of the sponges taken. (2) It is stated that sponges were not found 

 anywhere in very dense beds, and that a hooker could secure more 

 sponges on the same grounds and in the same time. (3) The uneven 

 character of the bottom is reported to be unfavourable for divers. 

 (4) The heavy and cumbrous diving apparatus had the effect of 

 destroying the growth of young sponges — a result already observed 

 in Europe and Turkey, and had led to the passage of a law pro- 

 hibiting the use of the diving method on the sponge grounds. In 

 1889 a law was enacted by the Florida legislature which is still in 

 force, forbidding the taking of sponges by diving either with or 

 without diving suits." 



The above extract from Mr. Brice's report is a very complete 

 account of the methods adopted for obtaining and preparing sponges 

 for the market. 



Mr. P. L. Simmonds'^ deals with the economic sponge at some 

 length, and gives a most complete history from a commercial 

 aspect. The following statistical information is gleaned from his 

 work: — The Florida fisheiy is conducted on the share-principle; 

 the crew receives two-thirds, and one-third is allowed for the vessel, 

 the total amount paid out per annum reaching about £48,000. 

 At the Bahamas, "about five hundred vessels are constantly en- 

 gaged in the trade, three thousand men find employment, and 

 through it £20,000 to £30,000 sterling are annually circulated 

 and spent in the colony." The total value of sponges imported 

 into the United Kingdom in 1870 (no returns published since) 

 amounted to £160,162. The above figures are quoted to show the 

 value of sponges as articles of commerce. 



In commencing the work of identification, I had serious misgivings 

 about undertaking the task— not from any lack of material for com- 

 parison, but from the want of a series of authentically named 

 specimens. The Museum collection is extremely rich in sponges ; 

 it includes upwards of a thousand examples from Port Phillip, ^^ 



11 Simmonds — Commercial Products of the Sea, 2nd ed., 1883, pp. 155- 

 195. 



12 Presented by the late Mr. J. B. Wilson, of Geelong, Victoria. 



