168 matured /Ifcfracles* 



The sponge is found in the bottom of the 

 sea; at no very great depth, however. It is 

 usually attached to a rock or some other sub- 

 stance and it is due to this fact chiefly that it 

 has been classed as a vegetable. At least one 

 scientist has attempted to give it a place be- 

 tween the two kingdoms, but this only adds 

 confusion without giving any satisfactory ex- 

 planation of its origin. It seems to belong 

 to a very low order of animal life. It breathes 

 water instead of air, but probably, like many 

 other water animals, it absorbs the oxygen 

 from the air which is more or less contained 

 in the water. There is a process of oxidation 

 going on within the sponge in a manner some- 

 what as we find it in ordinary animal life, 

 and like the animal it expels carbon dioxide. 

 All this, however, is carried on apparently 

 without any lungs or any digestive organs, or 

 in fact any of the organs that are common to 

 the animals of the higher order. The sponge, 

 however, as we see it in our bathrooms, is only 

 the framework, bony structure, or skeleton of 

 the animal. 



The sponge is exceedingly porous and 

 readily absorbs water or any fluid by the well- 

 known process of capillary attraction. The 

 sponge fiber is very tough and is not like any- 

 thing known to exist in the vegetable king- 

 dom. The substance analyzes almost the same 

 as ordinary silk, which all know is an animal 



