THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 0( 



CHAPTEE VII 



THE SPONGE AND THE FLINT. 



These two names seem to form an antithesis, but not 

 so absolutely in natiu^al history as might be supposed, for 

 sometimes one of these bodies is derived from the other. 

 But what connection can there be between our soft and 

 flexible sponges and the hard flint from which the steel 

 draws sparks? Let us see. 



From Aristotle down to our days men have never known 

 to what kingdom the sponges should be relegated. At 

 the present time some naturalists consider them as vege- 

 tables; others, on the contrary, rank them among the ani- 

 mals. There is even a third ojDinion, which views them as 

 belonging to both kingdoms at the same time. 



Every sponge is composed of a mass, to all appearance 

 gelatinous, supported by an inextricable network of horny 

 filaments, or more rarely by a calcareous or silicious 

 framework. 



Sponges are the lowest stage of animal life, loAver even 

 than the monad. It is true they present very distinct 

 forms to our view, but nothing in them displays the indi- 

 viduality of their architects. They are all confounded 

 together in one glairy mass, the undulations of which are 



and tardigrades." — Broca, Etudes sur les Animavx Ressuscitants. Paris, 1860, p. 

 59. Since that date I have succeeded in suddenly raising tlie temperature of the 

 pseudo-resusoitating animalcules 120° Centig. (216° Fahr.) 



8 



