The Sponge Fishery of the Bahamas. 181 



resembling vegetable granulations, among which micro- 

 scopic white and oviform bodies may be distinguished. 

 These are the larvae destined to perpetuate the species. 

 When arrived at maturity, they are washed out by the sea 

 water which incessantly flows through the sponge ; they 

 then swim along, by the aid of the vibrating cilia or hairs 

 with which they are provided, until they reach a suitable 



FIG. 7. 



Sponges. 



rock, to which they attach themselves, and there commence 

 a new life. This emigration of the larvae from the parent 

 sponge occurs about the end of June and the beginning of 

 July. The fine qualities of sponges are chiefly found at 

 the depth of 1 5 fathoms or thereabout ; the common 

 sponge lies at depths varying between 20 and 30 fathoms. 



At Tripoli (on the coast of Syria, not of Africa) M. 

 Lamiral engaged some divers, who commenced operations 

 on the 2 ist of May. The sponges gathered were imme- 



