412 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
strength, durability, or capacity for holding water. The surface color is paler, and 
the interior and often the insides of the oscula and the surface channels are colored 
a rather bright red. The surface is generally well felted, but the interior is 
more open and the fibers weaker. It tends to grow proportionally higher than 
the Rock Island sponges, especially when young, and the base is narrower, an 
inverted pineapple shape being common. 
Bahama wool (pl. xxxtv and xxxv).—This is generally inferior to either 
the Rock Island or the Key wool, being coarser and more open and less durable 
and absorbent. The softest and best specimens come from the vicinity of Abaco. 
The shape is generally rather flat and the upper surface much tufted. Those 
from the vicinity of Andros Island are generally rounder than from other parts 
of the archipelago and the lamelle tend to become thicker and less tufted on 
their free edges, sometimes remotely resembling the velvet sponge. 
The Bahama wool sponges are pale yellow superficially and those from 
some localities have pale vermilion roots, while from other places they are 
practically untinged with that color. 
Cuba wool (pl. xxxv1).—The ordinary Cuba sheepswool sponge has the 
same general characteristics as the Bahama variety, though inferior to Abaco 
specimens. Another form which is not uncommon, and which rather insufficient 
material indicates may be zoologically distinct from the other sheepswool 
sponges, has a rather flat incrusting base from which arise as many as thirty 
oscular tubes, sometimes reaching a length of 8 inches and 2 inches in diameter. 
These tubes swell somewhat toward their middles and tend to anastomose. 
Certain specimens indicate that this anastomosis may become so complete as 
to form fluted columnar sponges, twice as high as thick, with long stout oscular 
tubes on the upper surface. Lendenfeld does not recognize this as a distinct 
zoological variety. 
Mexican wool.—This is the poorest of the sheepswool sponges, being coarse, 
loose of texture, much more tender than those that have been mentioned, and lack- 
ing inresiliency. Its surface color is dark-brownish gray and the root and interior 
are dullrusty red. Inshape itis rather high, growing from a narrow base, and the 
oscular pores on the upper surface are large, open, and ragged. These sponges grow 
in the shallow waters, but it is stated that a type much superior is found in 
deeper water on certain parts of the coast, especially about the island of Cozumel. 
Honduras wool.—On the coast of British Honduras is found a wool sponge 
which resembles the Mexican but is of slightly better quality. It has in most 
cases the same dull red or brown root and interior and the ragged oscular open- 
ings on the top. It has a lighter superficial color than Mexican specimens and 
appears to be rather stronger and more resilient. The sponges are usually 
irregular in shape, but this quality will probably be found improved in deeper 
water, those now taken being from the shallows. 
