THE COMMERCIAL SPONGES AND THE SPONGE FISHERIES. 491 
The scaphander fishery is mainly in the hands of Greeks from both the 
Grecian and Turkish islands, and there were recently between 250 and 300 diving 
outfits in use in the sponge fisheries of the Mediterranean. 
Cleaning and curing.—The native fishermen of Tunis sell their product in 
the natural state, but all of the other spongers of the Mediterranean cure their 
catch before selling it. The process of curing is essentially that followed by the 
Greek divers in Florida which has already been described. The sponges sold by 
weight are loaded with sand, marble dust, and other materials. They are packed 
under foot in cylindrical bales weighing from 40 to 75 pounds, or in boxes. A con- 
siderable proportion of the Mediterranean sponges are bleached before entering 
the final markets, the process being essentially that employed in the United 
States and elsewhere described. 
VII. VARIOUS MINOR LOCALITIES. 
Sponges of some economic value are found at various places which have not 
yet developed fisheries of commercial importance. In other localities sponges 
closely allied to economic species or zoologically identical with them have been 
recorded by naturalists, though but little is known of their abundance, access- 
ibility, and characteristics as measured by commercial standards. Certain of 
these places geographically adjacent to the important sponge fisheries of North 
American and the Mediterranean have been discussed, but the isolated localities 
can be considered most conveniently in a separate chapter. Certain of them are 
quite likely to develop, eventually, fisheries of more or less importance, especially 
with the growth of a demand for sponges incident to the extension of modern 
civilization and manufactures. 
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 
When this archipelago has been more thoroughly explored and its marine 
resources are more generally known it is probable that it will support a sponge 
fishery of some importance. The recent work of the Bureau of Fisheries 
steamer Albatross, not yet concluded, has brought to light several sponges of 
commercial utility, though of rather poor quality. 
The Tawi-tawi group appears to be particularly rich in horny sponges, 
some of which are of value commercially, and the Albatross obtained specimens 
at Siminor, Tataan, and other localities. Small grass sponges were found in 
extraordinary abundance on the tide flats of Tataan Island, attached to the 
coralline and shelly bottom in a depth of 1 to 1% feet at low water. Several 
other kinds of possible value are reported from the same locality. 
Similar sponges are found at Siassi in the Tapul group and several Americans 
have recently gone into the business of gathering them for the market. Inex- 
perience in curing and packing lessened the value of the product, but it is under- 
