Sponges 39 



as though giants had been fighting 

 there." 



The Mediterranean sponge Chondrosia 

 ends its existence in a peculiarly dra- 

 matic manner. It becomes blown out 

 to form a large transparent bag with a 

 gas liberated within its body, and when 

 fully expanded, suddenly bursts into 

 innumerable small pieces, each of which 

 eventually forms a new sponge. 



