THE COMMERCIAL SPONGES AND THE SPONGE FISHERIES. 435 
for years have resorted to the locality. Featherbed Bank Lake lies in the 
deeper water between Featherbed Bank, Ragged Keys, and Black Ledge. 
Small patches of bar scattered over this area in from 7 to 12 feet of water produce 
limited quantities of sheepswool and yellow sponges and large numbers of grass. 
Soldier Key Lake comprises all of the remaining sponge-producing area of 
Biscayne Bay lying between Ragged Keys, Black Ledge, and Cape Florida 
Channel. Most of the sponges are found in the eastern part, near the extensive 
banks which separate the bay from Hawk Channel, but the work of sponging 
is much interrupted, owing to the general muddiness of the water. Formerly 
large quantities of sheepswool and especially grass sponges were taken here, 
but owing to overfishing their numbers are much reduced, though there is no 
doubt that they still exist in considerable quantities in those places which least 
frequently clear. ‘The sponges of Biscayne Bay are generally loose, “ frizzly,” 
and inferior, and are therefore not highly valued in the markets. 
Hawk Channel.—The westernmost bed frequented by the spongers lies off 
Pigeon Key. Sponges in commercial quantities are found off the Sisters, at 
Duck Key, Long Key, Lower Matecumbe, from Upper Matecumbe to Tavernier 
Creek, between Tavernier and Rodriguez keys, off Key Largo, between Key 
Largo and Old Rhodes Bank, at Old Rhodes Key and at Ragged Keys. North 
of here they extend as far as Hillsboro Inlet, where the reefs cease, but are now 
never fished. Sheepswool, yellow, glove, and grass sponges are taken on all of 
these beds. Velvet or boat sponges are found along the inside of the reefs from 
the vicinity of American Shoal to Fowey Rocks, and they are not known to 
occur in commercial quantities at any other place in Florida. As they are not 
particularly abundant or valuable and as the water in their habitat is generally 
rough, few of them are taken. 
HOOKING. 
At first the fishery was carried on by wading in the shoal waters in the 
immediate vicinity of Key West, especially to the eastward, the sponges being 
pulled by hand. Later the sponge hook was introduced, originally a two-tined 
sharp hook attached to a pole of moderate length, but latterly the number of 
tines was increased to three, the type now universally employed (text fig. 1). 
With the introduction of this implement slightly deeper waters were explored, 
the fisher standing in the bow of his boat closely scanning the bottom for sponges 
and tearing them loose with his hook as discovered. ‘To calm the ripples which 
interfered with their vision the spongers soon learned to make use of oil, and 
that extracted from the livers of nurse sharks was found to be the best, as it 
forms a tenacious film and at the same time spreads over a wide area of water. 
Thin, light oils are ineffective, as they are speedily dissipated and fail to quell 
the ripples in even a gentle breeze. The oil is usually carried in a wide-mouthed 
