118 



SPONGE GATHERING 



Fresh water sponges are found in ditches, where generally there is little 

 current. Their color is usually brown or green, and they are irregular in 

 form. Limy sponges grow in shallow salt water. Sponges that grow in salt 

 water have various shapes, 



The color of sponges differ. The scarlet sponge is a different color when 

 'dead than when growing. Some sponges are deep orange in color, and this 

 color is very common. All sponges which are used for the bath-tub and other 

 common things are shiny black when growing. Blue is the rarest color that 

 a sponge has, and green is a rare color also. 



Sponge Gathering, by Martha G. Haskell. 



Many men make it their business to gather sponges. They are general- 

 ly sent out by merchants, who in reality make by far the greatest profit, 

 although they provision the ship, pay the rrien*s wages, and provide all the 



Fig. 65, 



Section of small Tube Sponge, life size. Which grew from a larger cylinder, a portion of which iy 

 £ivenato, o. Allan's Harbor. May, 1893. 



necesssary implements, consisting of a rude deep-sea glass and a sponge-hook 

 A sponge-hook is merely a pole with two prongs on the end, an inch or 

 two apart. With it, a skilful man can capture many sponges in one day. 

 The merchants send out a comparatively large vessel, with five or six small 



