158 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



nies of large bushlike appearance, and the many 

 little tree-like madrepores. 



It was here we saw our first sponges; they were 

 exceedingly abundant and large. Of the several 

 species and their varieties that are sought for 

 commercial purposes in Antillean and Floridian 

 waters, I think we noted here about all, but I do 

 not know that any sponge fishing has ever been 

 regularly followed in this region. If not, it may 

 be owing to lack of the only really valuable species 

 — the "Sheepswool" {Spongia equina gossypina) 

 in these waters. None of us were sufficiently 

 expert to identify the different species merely by 

 looking down at them through the eight or ten 

 feet of water, for several of the sponges while 

 growing on the bottom look much alike to the 

 uninitiated. This would certainly seem to be an 

 excellent field for prospecting on the part of the 

 Key West spongers who are now hard driven to 

 find fresher fields for their industry. One of the 

 most usual as well as picturesque sights in South- 

 ern Florida and Bahaman waters is the fleet of 

 spongers with their strings of diminutive little 

 tenders trailing out behind their sloops, and 

 in each tender the collection of long poles 



