140 TOILERS IN THE SEA. 



museums, and in the windows of naturalists, the 

 whole structure is of a virginal whiteness, being 

 nothing but the skeleton of what it was, but origin- 

 ally this entire skeleton was undoubtedly covered 

 by the sarcode or flesh of the sponge. One of the 

 earliest specimens brought to this country was sold 

 for thirty pounds. Ultimately, more specimens were 

 imported, which realised from ten to fifteen pounds 

 each. Then, with fresh arrivals, the price sank from 

 seven to three pounds a-piece, and, in the course ot 

 time, to ten shillings and less. Many of the speci- 

 mens have a small crab in their interior, which it is 

 suspected is often, if not always, introduced surrep- 

 titiously. When first known, it was currently 

 believed that the case was spun by the crab, but this 

 was among the natives of the Philippine Islands, 

 those Europeans who believed in the legend were 

 few in number. 



As already intimated, these beautiful natural pro- 

 ductions, which Dr. Gray observes 1 " will always be 

 a most beautiful object, and an ornament to any 

 room that may contain them," are sponge skeletons 

 composed entirely of flinty spicules, of various 

 shapes and sizes, interwoven like the most delicate 

 lacework. 



1 " Venus's Flower-basket," by Dr. J. E. Gray, in Popular 

 Science Review ', vol. vi. p. 239. 1867. 



