242 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



thus giving an opportunity for deep sea forms to stray up into 

 comparatively shallow water. 



The native method of collecting these sponges is interesting. 

 An apparatus called a "dabo line" is used. This is a long line 

 about an eighth of an inch in thickness, to which smaller branch 

 lines or " snoods " are attached at short intervals. Each " snood" 

 ends in a brass or iron wire hook with a barbed point. The 

 "dabo lines" are coiled in baskets placed in the bottom of a boat 

 manned by five or six men. The hooks are stuck in a row 

 around the edge of the basket, and as the line is uncoiled, are 

 successively unfastened by one of the men. The line is set by 

 tying one end to the end of a long rope weighted with a stone 

 sinker. The latter is then lowered perpendicularly, carrying 

 the "dabo-line" with it, until the required depth is reached, 

 when the upper end is moored to a buoy. The boat is then 

 rowed away until the entire "dabo line" is paid out, when it is 

 attached to another strong rope also weighted, which is lowered 

 in the same manner as the first, and moored to a buoy. After 

 a time the line is taken up, beginning at the first buoy, when 

 sea-animals of all kinds including many "glass" sponges are 

 found either hooked or entangled in the " snoods." 



The order Tetractinellida comprises living and fossil forms, 

 the skeletons of which are composed of four-rayed spicules. 



The fossil TetractinelHds and other sponges are well shown in 

 the Geological Hall, fourth floor, north wing of this building. 

 Hyalotrogos, Cnemidiastrum, Leidorella and Callopegma are a 

 few of the genera illustrated by the specimens. 



The next great division of sponges, the order Monaxonida, 

 comprises sponges having large spicules of but one axis. Some- 

 times these are arranged in radiating bundles and sometimes 

 form a network. The species are quite numerous and universally 

 distributed. The most remarkable of these sponges are the 

 giant Nepttme's Goblets {Poterion neptunei Harting), three fine 

 specimens of which may be seen in a special case at the farther 

 end of the alcove. At the left of these, another large cup-like 

 Monaxonid sponge fished up near Santa Lucia, West Indies, may 

 also be seen. This specimen (see opposite page) is remarkable 

 for its size and beauty, for the peculiar irregular knob-like 



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