192 The Philippine Journal of Science i9n 



who like a vigorous bath. I have found that it will outlast the 

 ordinary Florida wool sponge for such uses. All of the sponges 

 from these beds have been secured by wading or by employing 

 naked Moro divers, who were not very familiar with sponges. 

 It is probable that if these beds were properly prospected with 

 a diving outfit sponges of greater value would be found. 



The Tatvi Tawi beds. — The Tawi Tawi sponge beds are scat- 

 tered over a wide area. The great majority of the numerous 

 reefs and islets near Tawi Tawi Island have sponges of various 

 kinds growing about them. The reef surrounding Tijitiji Islets 

 and extending as far north as Bilatan is a prolific portion of 

 this bed. At Banaran, Secundum, Latuan, Tundubas, South 

 Ubian, and Kinapusan Islands some very good sheep's-wool 

 sponges have been secured. The deeper waters about these 

 islands have not been prospected with diving outfits. A spong- 

 ing concession at Kinapusan Island was granted to Mr. Bruen 

 for the Philippine Sponge Company in December, 1915. I have 

 examined some excellent sheep's-wool sponges taken from this 

 concession, A peculiar sheep's-wool sponge that is dark red on 

 the inside is taken in the channel between Latuan and Manta-' 

 buan Islands. 



Sponging operations on the Tawi Tawi beds consist in hiring 

 Moros to wade over the reefs and gather shallow-water sponges 

 in baskets. They are paid very little for their work, and most 

 of the sponges they secure are fragile and of a very inferior 

 grade. Sponges taken from deeper water are of much greater 

 value. 



The Siasi beds. — The first genuine sheep's-wool sponge found 

 in the Philippines was secured by me at Sitanki Island in 1907. 

 Some years later this sponge was shown to Doctor Moore, sponge 

 expert of the United States Bureau of Fisheries, and he pro- 

 nounced it "an imported Florida wool sponge." More than 

 1,000 kilograms of the same or a better grade of sheep's-wool 

 were taken from the Philippine beds during 1915. Siasi is 

 the operating center of the Philippine Sponge Company, of which 

 Mr. McGrath, of Manila, is president. The field operations are 

 directed by four Americans, who are without previous experience 

 in sponging. They have expended about 25,000 pesos.^ Their 

 plant consists of storehouses, cleaning vats, corrals, boats, and 

 wharf. They have exported 3,080 kilograms of sponges with a 

 declared customs value of 43,000 pesos. 



' One peso Philippine currency equals 100 centavos, equals 50 cents 

 United States currency. 



