THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



D. General Biology, Ethnology, 

 AND Anthropology 



Vol. XII JULY, 1917 No. 4 



SEA PRODUCTS OF MINDANAO AND SULU, III: SPONGES, 

 TORTOISE SHELL, CORALS, AND TREPANG 



By Alvin Seale 

 (From the Section of Fisheries, Biological Laboratory, Bureau of 



Science, Manila) ivl 



FOUR PLATES 



sponge fisheries 



There are several good sponge beds in the Sulu Archipelago, 

 and as there has been but little prospecting for sponges, it 

 is probable that many beds remain to be discovered among 

 the numerous islands that constitute the southern part of the 

 Philippine Islands. 



LOCATION OP THE PHILIPPINE SPONGE BEDS 



The Sitanki beds. — In 1907 two Americans, Messrs. Johnson 

 and Byersdoff , discovered near Sitanki Island the first bed of com- 

 mercial sponges known in the Philippine Islands. They shipped 

 to markets in the United States and Europe about 3,000 kilo- 

 grams of sponges. 



These beds are in shallow water and practically cover the 

 great Sitanki reef. Several varieties of grass sponges are ex- 

 ceedingly abundant on these beds, and a canoe load can be 

 gathered in an hour. These are fragile and of little value. On 

 the edge of the reef in deeper water a much better kind of sponge 

 is found. This is a variety of wool sponge, which I have named 

 the Sulu Sea bath sponge. It is a large, tough-fibered, coarse 

 sponge and is unknown to the American trade, there being 

 nothing like it on the Florida or the Bahama beds. It is ex- 

 cellent for ordinary work about boats or stables and for persons 



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