664 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [60j 



vessel has a deck-load, when they arc; taken to the "crawl," a crib 

 built of sticks in the shallow water near the shore, where they are left 

 to rot for six or eight days. The rotten flesh and dirt is then beaten 

 and washed out, the sponge being held in one hand and struck repeat- 

 edly with the ; ' clipper," held in the other hand, and frequently rinsed. 

 They are then thrown upon the beach to dry. 



One man can wash 50 pounds, dry weight, of large sponges, or 15 

 pounds of mixed sponges, in a day. Though sponge beds get fished 

 out and destroyed by hurricanes, the lishermen consider the supply 

 inexhaustible, for they say the young sponge grows so rapidly, reaching 

 a marketable size in about three months after its attachment, and new 

 beds are so plenty that they have little trouble in finding either a new 

 set or a new bed. The sponges broken off by storms collect in soft, 

 muddy spots, and are known as " rolling sponges." 



The fishermen recognize six kinds of sponges, though both they them- 

 selves and the dealers have many names for the different varieties of 

 each. In point of abundance they run : (1) Eeef (including glove), 

 Spongia tubifera. (2) Grass, Spongia eerebraformis. (3) Boat (including 

 velvet), Spongia barbara. (1) Wool, Spongia gossypina. (5) Yellow, 

 Spongia corlosia. (6) Key West (no specimen obtained). 



The wool ranks first in value followed by reef, boat, grass, yellow, 

 and Key West. Six hundred pounds, dry weight, is considered a good 

 fare for a single cruise. The sponges are all brought to Nassau and 

 sold through the market. No fixed value can be given, but a first-class 

 wool sponge of 8 inches diameter brings 15 to 20 cents, and the small 

 glove sponges 1 to 2 cents each. The vessel bears one-third of the ex- 

 pense of the outfit and takes one-third of profits. The balance goes 

 two shares to captain, and one share to each member of the crew. 



While in Nassau we made large collections of the shore fauna, includ- 

 ing fine specimens of the red and of the yellow fan corals, Gorgonia 

 flabellum, which grow in great numbers on the reefs. 



To Mr. Nye's indefatigable zeal and amphibious habits are due the 

 credit for the bulk of these collections, as well as for the fish not brought 

 into the market for food. 



Trips inland added several species to our collection of birds, and one 

 trip to the caves on Captain Lightborn's plantation, on his invitation 

 and under his kindly guidance, resulted in the capture of a number of 

 bats, Phyllonycteris seydkomi, which proved very wide-awake and flew 

 swiftly about when disturbed by the lights. The bats, Vesperugo sero- 

 tinus, taken from the vaulted chambers under. Fort Charlotte, on the 

 contrary, seemed quite torpid, and would do nothing but chatter, even 

 after having several of their number shot from the bunches hanging to 

 the ceiling. 



Among our collections at Nassau were two unlaid but perfectly de- 

 veloped eggs of the Bahama cuckoo, taken from specimens of that bird 

 shot there. 



