THE COMMERCIAL SPONGES AND THE SPONGE FISHERIES. 433 
names, sometimes fanciful, but frequently having some topographic, personal, 
or historic origin. It is impossible to describe within reasonable limits all of 
these various sublocalities, but a few of the more important will be mentioned. 
The New grounds extend from Cape Sable and Middle Cape southwest to 
beyond Contents Keys and westerly from a depth of 11 feet to a depth of about 
5 fathoms. The bottom consists of a series of more or less extensive bars 
separated by white sand, and the sponges produced are of excellent quality, 
generally pineapple-shaped and colored less brightly red than is usual in the 
keys. All classes of sponges are found, but the water is rarely clear and the 
grounds are therefore but occasionally productive. Southeast of this are 
“spots of bar” stretching to the so-called lakes along the line of keys as far as 
Lower Matecumbe. 
West of Key West there is an area lying between Boca Grande, Man, Woman, 
and Mullet keys and the slope of Lavinia Bank, where most of the sponges are 
rollers. There are also beds along the sides of Northwest Channel, one of the 
entrances to Key West Harbor. 
Between Key West and Bahia Honda.—In this region sponging has been 
carried on for many years in Wall Key Lake, Johnson Key Lake, Sugar Loaf 
Sounds, and in all of the long narrow channels leading between the keys. In 
the lakes and sounds schools of fish and in the channels the strong currents 
keep the water muddy a large part of the time. Sheepswool, yellow, grass, 
and glove sponges are found, but the quality of the first two is inferior. 
Money Key and Pigeon Key lakes.—These areas are practically continuous 
and lie between Bahia Honda and Knights Key Channel, extending north and 
northwest to Teakettle and East Bahia Honda keys. The water has a maxi- 
mum depth of about 9 or 10 feet in the former and 11 or 12 feet in the latter. 
Wool, yellow, grass, and glove sponges are found, the former being superior in 
quality to those found to the westward. 
Knights Key Channel, Rachel Key Lake, Grassy Key Lake, and Channel 
Key Lake.—These form a practically continuous sponging ground between 
Knights Key and the sand banks and shoals running northwest from Long 
Key, and in the palmy days of the key fishery were much resorted to by the 
Key West fleet. During recent years, in common with the rest of the key 
grounds, this area was nearly exhausted and comparatively deserted by spongers, 
but in the spring of 1908 and the following winter excellent sheepswool sponges 
of good shape, size, and quality were being taken in the vicinity of Bamboo 
Key. They were described by dealers as being of the highest quality of Key 
sponges and unusually free from the objectionable red color before mentioned, 
and the spongers stated that there was an abundant young growth on the 
grounds. This appears to be an evidence of the natural recuperation of the 
B. B. F. 1908—28. 
