NATURE OF SPONGES. 23 



11. 



History of Opinions and Discoveries of the Nature 

 OF Sponges. 



Sponge has been used, for domestic purposes, from a 

 very early period, but as an object of scientific inquiry, its 

 history begins with Aristotle ; and it appears not impro- 

 bable that his attention may have been drawn to a produc- 

 tion unlikely, from its amorphous condition and obscure 

 properties, to have otherwise attracted notice, by the ex- 

 tent and importance of its fisheries in the Mediterranean 

 and Red Sea,* " The sponge," says the Stagirite, " is a 



* The name of sponge shows that it was early noticed for its peculiar 

 qualities. iTrayyo; or a-<poyyo( is derived from <T<ptyym, '* to squeeze." 

 " Then with a sponge he drest 

 " His face all over, necke and hands, and all his hairie breast." 



Homer. Iliad, bk. xviii. by Chapman. 

 In some islands of the Archipelago the inhabitants are trained from in- 

 fancy to dive for sponges. " The greatest part of the spungcs that are 

 sold comes from the Mediterranean, and there is a certain Island of Asia 

 that furnishes us with a very large quantity of spnnges. This Isle is 

 call'd Icarus or Nicarus, where the young men are not allow'd to mar- 

 ry, till they show that they can gather spunges from the bottom of the 

 sea ; and for this reason, when any one wotdd marry his daughter, a 

 number of young fellows are stripp'd and jump into the sea; and he 

 that can stay longest in the water, and gather the most spunges, mat-< 

 ries the maid." Pomet's Complete History of Drugs, bk. v. p. 102, 



