xii, D. 4 Seale: Sea Products of Mindanao and Sulu 193 



1 understand that a large portion of these sponges were shallow- 

 water varieties gathered by the Moros wading on the reef. A 

 much better grade of sponges could be secured in water of from 

 5 to 10 fathoms. An excellent grade of sheep's-wool sponge can 

 be secured on the Siasi beds. 



Basilan beds. — There are extensive beds of elephant's-ear 

 sponges on the reefs of Bihintinusa Island, south of Basilan; 

 at Takela and Tengolan Islands; and near the lighthouse on 

 Malamaui Island. There has been very little systematic pros- 

 pecting of the Basilan sponge beds, and our knowledge of them 

 is very fragmentary. 



Zamboanga beds. — The Zamboanga sponge beds were dis- 

 covered by the Greek diver on the Bureau of Science sponge 

 boat leased for a short time during the present investigation. 

 This bed is in water from 5 to 20 fathoms deep and extends 

 from near the mouth of Honda River seaward into deeper water, 

 then northward to a point offshore from the constabulary 

 quarters. The sponges on this bed are honeycomb wool of a 

 good grade and a thick, tough elephant's-ear. This bed has 

 never been worked and would repay exploitation. 



Sacol Island beds. — The Sacol Island beds, which are located 

 in from 6 to 18 fathoms of water on the southwest side of Sacol 

 Island, were discovered by a company of eight experienced 

 Greek spongers, of which Mr. P. I. Pipinos is the head. This 

 company has secured 800 kilograms of sponges from this bed, 

 all of the honeycomb wool variety and of excellent size and 

 grade. 



VARIETIES AND VALUES OF PHILIPPINE SPONGES 



There are three well-marked classes of commercial sponges 

 found in the Philippines. These are the wool, the grass, and 

 the elephant's-ear. Of the wool sponges the following varieties 

 occur: 



The sheep's-wool sponge. — This sponge (Plate 11, fig. 4) is 

 in every respect similar and equal to the well-known sheep's- 

 wool sponge of Florida and grows to the same' size. I have 

 examined specimens 20 centimeters in diameter, although the 

 average size is much less. This sponge has a strong, soft, 

 elastic fiber. It is found in large quantities on the Tawi Tawi 

 and the Siasi beds and grows best in water of from 6 to 10 

 fathoms. It is valued at from 10 to 30 pesos per kilogram. 



The honeycomb sponge. — The honeycomb sponge (Plate II, 

 fig. 3) is a variety of wool sponge with a somewhat coarser fiber 

 than the sheep's-wool and with the canals resembling honey- 



