Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 1< •'! 



THE SPONGES 



Sponges are not especially abundant in the lake. In some of 

 the not far distant lakes, as Winona Lake, they frequently form 

 a thick coating around the submerged portions of bulrushes grow- 

 ing out in the water, but at Lake Maxinkuckee this was not ob- 

 served. They are not common on the rocks. On September 9, 



1906, some were found forming a coating on submerged rocks on 

 the east side and some of these were collected a few days later. On 

 November 5, 1908, some flat ones found on rocks on the east side 

 were apparently being eaten by insect larvae. On September 22, 



1907, Prof. U. 0. Cox of the Indiana State Normal, found some flat 

 sponges covering a rock where the lake enters the Outlet at the 

 wagon bridge, and there were more on a rock farther down be- 

 tween the wagon and railroad bridges. This completes the rec- 

 ord for the flat sponges. 



A long, green string-like form found hanging among the weeds 

 at the lake, especially at the Weedpatch, was much more com- 

 mon. This was observed quite frequently and often obtained when 

 collecting aquatic plants. Occasionally, these long strings were 

 washed up near shore. On October 27, 1900, these sponges were 

 observed forming statoblasts on the weeds in Lost Lake. 



Occasionally, the sponges form small, blue-green, spherical 

 masses, like bullets, around the stems of Chara. On January 22, 

 1901, some of these spherical sponges were observed on carpet 

 chara about 5 feet out from the Arlington Hotel. 



Sponges are quite common in creeks and ponds near the lake. 

 The long form is common in Twin Lakes. There are long, finger- 

 like forms in Yellow River, and they were abundant in the Outlet 

 about the bridge below Walley's. 



The sponges were submitted for identification to the late Mr. 

 Edward Potts, of Media, Pa., who in a letter dated May 24, 1905, 

 wrote so interestingly regarding the material that we here quote 

 his letter in full : 



Yours with package of material was received by first mail yes- 

 terday A. M. ; and having nothing important on hand, I examined 

 the vials at once, with the following results : 



First, I must express my pleasure in finding that you had 

 sent only Sponges; that is, remembering that frequently even 

 workers in other lines of science are utterly unfamiliar with these 

 forms, and hence send one gelatinous and otherwise incongruous 

 articles, I was glad to learn that you know a sponge when you see 



