Figure 2, — Rock Island Sheepswool 



or hairy structure is more common 

 close to the oscules or openings of 

 the main channels. The Inshore 

 sponges usually are better cleaned 

 of gurry, but they have a greater 

 proportion of other faults such as 

 tears, sand, and minimum surface- 

 bridging structure. An Inshore 

 sponge present in a shipment of 

 Rock Island sponges rarely is 

 given a number-one grade. 



These two types of sponges 

 differ from the Bengasi (also 

 spelled Benghazi) Mediterranean 

 and Deepwater Mediterranean sponges 

 in that they (1) seldom are flat, 

 (2) have fewer holes and therefore 

 more outside webbing or bridging 

 structure, (3) are darker in color, (U) are more springy, and (5) re- 

 gain their shape more readily when wet. As is true of hand tests 

 with all commercial sponges, such testing should be performed on 

 freshly soaked and squeezed samples, 



Bengasi Mediterranean and Deepwater Mediterranean 



Mediterranean sponges are included because they are sold in large 

 amounts through Tarpon Springs. They differ from the Rock Island and 

 Inshore types by having practically no surface tufting, and they appear 

 to have some tufting clipped so that the webbing present is directly 

 on the surface. Ihen the dry sponge is rubbed on the hand, this sur- 

 face webbing gives a feeling similar to that produced by a rubber 

 balloon. A skilled inspector, by observing the flatter, paler, yellower, 

 and more perforated appearance, can detect the Mediterranean sponge at 

 sight, even when it is dry. In general, the Mediterranean sponges are 

 more rounded and are cleaner from gurry than are the American sponges. 

 The color is a paler yellow than is that of the Florida Tellow sponge, 

 which has an orange tinge and is red-brown inside, and the holes are 

 more scattered and numerous. The Deepwater sponge, when wet and squeezed 

 well, is the softest of these sponges, but both of the Mediterranean 

 sponges are slower to regain their wet shape. This relatively sloir 

 creeping back to shape can be seen by suddenly releasing the wet, 

 squeezed sponge. 



The Deepwater type of Mediterranean sponge is the most difficult 

 to classify as being distinctly different from the Bengasi sponge (fig- 

 ure 3)» The Deepwater sponge resembles the Inshore sponge by being^ 

 softer and more porous than is its counterpart. Perhaps careful clip- 

 ping of the Mediterranean sponges has removed tufts similar to those 



