sponge-spicule 
scleres). Schulze hasclassified them, accun 
more elaborately into spicula autodermalu_ , 
basalia, etc. They are also grouped primarily according 
to their axes, next according to their rays, and finally ac- 
5853 
(spon'ji-form), a. [< 1 
sponge, + forma, form.] 1. Having the form 'or 
structure of a sponge ; poriferous, as a member 
of the Spoitgise; of or pertaining to the Spimgin: 
Hence 2. Sponge-like; spongy; soft, elastic, 
and porous, like an ordinary bath-sponge : not- 
ing various objects or substances not sponges. 
Spongiform quartz, floatstone. 
Spongilla(spon-jil'ii), . [NL. (Lamarck,1816), 
dim. of H/>i>n,/i;c, the sponges : see sponge"] The 
only genus of fresh-water sponges, belonging 
to the group Fibrospongise. The type-species is S. 
fluvialis, which grows on the banks of rivers and ponds, 
Various Spiciiles from Glass-sponges (H exacting I lido). 
i, oxydiact ; 2, echinate oxydiact r 3, echinate hexact ; 4, amphidlsk i 
5, ancora ; 6, tetract ; 7, oxyhexact ; 8, discohexaster ; 9, triact. 
cording to their many individual figures. Thus, both calca- 
reous and silicious spicules are monaxon, dlaxon, triaxon, 
or tetraxon. Some silicious spicules are anaxon or polyact, 
giving stellate figures, either regular, as the oxyaster, (mas- 
ter, and sterraster, or irregular, as the spiraster, spirula, 
and corona. These anaxon spicules are always flesh-spic- 
ules or microscleres. The monaxon spicules are either me- 
gascleres or microscleres ; of the former are the strongyl-us 
or strongtjlon, oxijstrongi/lus, oxym or oxyon, tylotus, and ty- 
lostylus; of the latter are the tnxius or toxon, toxodragma, 
Sigma, sigmndrai/ma, isochela, aninochela, diancistra, tricho- 
dragma, etc. Of triaxon silicious forms are the oxyhexact, 
oxypentact, oxytetmct, oxydiact; the hexaster, oxyhexaster, 
discohexaster, graphiohexaster, floricome, and plumicmne; 
thepinula, scapula, amphidlsk, uncinate, and clavula. The 
tetraxon spicules are divided into monactinal, diactinal, 
triactinal, and tetractinal. The above names and classes 
(excepting those from Schulze) are substantially according 
to Lendenfeld. Sollas, the monographer of the sponges in 
the ninth edition of the "Encyclopaedia Britannica," uses a 
similar set of terms and many others. Among the terms 
employed by these investigators may be noted acerella, am- 
phiaster, amphiastrella, amphitetrad, amphttrieene, anatri- 
ne, anthastcr, arculiis, aster, calthrops, candelabrum, chela, 
chiaster, cladome, cladus, cymba, desma, diancistron, dicho- 
tri&ne, echinetta, ectaster, endaster, hexaster, meniscoid, mi- 
crarhabd, microstrongylon, microxeon, orthotruene, pentact, 
polyact, polyaxon, protritene, pterocymba, pycnaster, rhabd 
or rhabdus, sanidaster, sigmasjnre, sitjmella, spheraster, 
spherula, spinispirula, spirastrella, stellate (.), stylus, tet- 
rad, triad, trisene, trichite, trichotrisme, triona, tylon, etc. 
Sponge- spicules are occasionally absent, as in gelatinous 
sponges. They are small or few in horny sponges, such as 
are used for the bath. In the glass-sponges they make mag- 
nificent structures, like spun glass, of elegant figures, and 
constitute most of the bulk of the sponge. See also cuts 
under Haliphysema, Euplectella, Hyalonemidas, and sponge. 
and 
"I 
sponge-tongs (spuuj'tongz), n. sing, and pi. 
Tongs used for taking sponges. 
sponge-tree (spunj'tre), n. An evergreen shrub 
or small tree, Acacia Farnesiana, widely dif- 
fused through the tropics, and found in the 
United States along the Gulf of Mexico. It has 
slender zigzag branches, bipinnate leaves, stipular spines, 
and bright-yellow heads of very fragrant flowers, much 
used by perfumers. It is often planted for ornament. 
spongewood(spunj'wud), . 1. The hat-plant, 
Mschynomene aspera, or its pith. See hat-plant 
and JEscUynomene. 2. A plant with spongy 
bark, Gastonia cutispongia, of the Araliaceee, 
the only species of its genus. It is an erect shrub 
with pinnate leaves and a panicle a foot long consisting 
of crowded branches with the flowers umbeled at the ends. 
Spongiae (spon'ji-e), . pi. [NL., pi. of L. spon- 
gia, a sponge : see sponge.'] Sponges ; the meso- 
dermalian class of Ccelentera, having a branch- 
ing canal-system (the organs of which are de- 
veloped from cells of the mesoglosa, or primary 
mesoderm), simple epithelia, endodermal collar- 
cells, and no cnidoblasts or movable appen- 
dages. The class is divided by Lendenfeld into two sub- 
classes: the Calcarea, with one order, Calcisponffia ; and 
the Silicea, with three orders, Hexactinellida, Chondrospon- 
giee, and Cornacuspongise, with many suborders, tribes, 
etc., and about fifty living families, besides several fossil 
ones. The class dates back to the Silurian. See sponge. 
spongian (spon'ji-au), n. [< Spongise + -an.'] 
A member of the Spongin ' ; any sponge. 
spongicell (spon'ji-sel), n. [< L. spongia, a 
sponge, + cella, a cell.] A sponge-cell. 
spongicolous (spou-jik'o-lus), a. [< L. spon- 
gia, a sponge, + colere, inhabit.] Inhabiting 
sponges. 
Spongidae, Spongiidae (spon' ji-de, spon-ji'i-de), 
n.pl. [NL., < Spongise + -idx."] 1. Sponges; 
the Spongise. 2. A family of horny or fibrous 
sponges, typified by the genus Spongia, to 
which various limits have been assigned. In the 
most restricted sense the family is represented by such 
forms as the bath-sponges, and now called Euspongidte. 
A Small Fresh-water Sponge, Spongillafluvialis, with one exhalent 
aperture, seen from above. 
a and b t ostioles, or tnhalent apertures ; c, ciliated chambers ; rf, os- 
culuirt, or exhalent aperture. (Arrows indicate the direction of the 
current of water.) 
on submerged timber and other supports, forming thick 
greenish incrustations. It represents a highly specialized 
and somewhat aberrant family, SpongUKdfe. See also cuts 
under ciliate and Por\fera. 
Spongillidae (spon-jil'i-de), n.pl. [NL., < Spoit- 
gilla + -idle.'} The only family of sponges 
which are not marine, characterized by their 
gemmules, and typified by the genus Spongilla. 
sppngilline (spon'ji-lin), . [< Spongilla + 
-iHfii.] Pertaining to the Spongillidee, or hav- 
ing their characters. 
spongin (spun'jin), n. [< sponge + -ii<2.] The 
proper horny or fibrous substance of sponges; 
ceratose or ceratode. Also spongiolin. 
sponginblast (spun'jin-blast), n. [< spongin 
+ Gr. /J/laorof, a germ.] One of the cells of 
sponges from which spongin is produced; the 
formative blastema in which spongin arises. 
W. J. Sollas, Encyc. Brit., XXII. 420. Also 
spongoblast. 
sppnginblastic (spun-jin-blas'tik), a. [< spon- 
ginblast + -j'c.] Producing spongin, as a spon- 
ginblast; formative or germinating, as spongin. 
sponginess (spun'ji-nes), . The state or char- 
acter of being soft and porous, or spongy; po- 
rosity : said of various objects and substances 
not sponges. 
sponging-house (spun ' jing-hous), . [Formerly 
also spimging-hmise ; < sponging, verbal n. of 
sponge, r., 6, + house 1 ."] A victualing-house or 
tavern where persons arrested for debt were 
kept by a bailiff for twenty-four hours before 
being lodged in prison, in order that their 
friends might have an opportunity of settling 
the debt. Sponging-houses were usually the private 
dwellings of bailiffs, and were so named from the extor- 
tionate charges made upon prisoners for their accommo- 
dation therein. 
A bailiff by mistake seized you for a debtor, and kept 
you the whole evening in a spungmg-house. 
Sw\ft, Advice to Servants (General Directions). 
Spongiocarpeae (spon // ji-o-kar'pe-e), n.pl. 
[NL., < Gr. enroyyia, a sponge, + /to/wop, a fruit, 
+ -eee.~] An order of florideous algee, founded 
upon a single species, Polyidcs rotundxs. The 
fronds are blackish-red, cylindrical, cartilaginous, from 3 
to 6 inches long, and attached by a disk, with an undivided 
stipe, which becomes repeatedly dichotomous above. The 
cystocarps are in external flesh-colored wart-like protu- 
berances, which are borne on the upper parts of the frond. 
It grows on stones in deep water. 
spongiole (spou'ji-61), n. [= P. spongiole, < L. 
spongiola, dim. of spongia, a sponge : 
see sponge."] In bot., a former name 
of the spongy tissue of a root-tip, 
from its supposed property of suck- 
ing up moisture like a sponge. Also 
called snongelet. 
spongiolin (spon'ji-o-lin), n. [< spon- 
giole + -in 2 .] Same as spongin. W. 
J. Sollas, Encyc. Brit., XXII. 416. 
spongiolite (spon'ji-o-lit), n. [< Gr. 
anoyyiov, dim. of oTroj-yof, sponge (see 
sponge), + MBof, stone.] A fossil 
sponge-spicule ; one of the minute silicious ele- 
ments of a sponge in a fossil state. 
spongy 
spongiolitic (spon"ji-o-lit'ik), . [< spongiolite 
+ -ic.~] Of the nature of a spongiolite; con- 
taining spongiolites, or characterized by their 
presence: as, sp<igilitir flint. 
Sppngippiline (spon"ji-o-pi'lin), 11. [< Gr. ffrro; - 
yiov, dim. of GTroyyus, sponge, + ?n/of, felt, 4- 
-/(-.] A. substitute for cataplasms, it isa thick 
cloth into which sponge is incorporated in the weaving, in 
a manner analogous to that of pile-weaving, to form a uni- 
form pile, and coated on the opposite side with rubber. 
Sppngipplasm (spou'ji-o-plazm), n. [< Gr. OTTOJ- 
j-fov, dim. of OTroyyoi; sponge, + TrAria/ia, anything 
formed or molded: see jilasnt."] The substance, 
resembling neuroglia, which supports the so- 
called "primitive tubules" or subdivisions of 
nerve-fiber containing hvaloplasm. JWiiw/i. 
1886. 
The primitive tubes are the meshes in a supporting 
substance designated as li upoivjuiplatnn," a substance de- 
scribed as similar to the neuroglia which forms the sheath 
of the nerve tube or fibre. Amer. Jour. Psychol., I. 487. 
spongipplasmic (spon"ji-o-plaz'mik), a. [< 
sponotoplaem + -ic."] Of the nature of, or per- 
taining to, spongioplasm. Amer. Jour. Psychol., 
spongiose (spon'ji-6s), a. [< L. spongiosus : see 
tpongions.] Same as spongy. 
spongious (spon'ji-us), a. [< P. spongieux = 
Sp. Pg. esponjoso = It. spugnoso, < L. spongio- 
sus, spongeosus, porous, < spongia, a sponge: 
see sponge."] Spongy. 
spongipzoon (spon"ji-o-zo'on), .; pi. spongio- 
zoa (-a). [NL., < Gr. airoy, iov, a sponge, + foK, 
an animal.] A sponge. Also spongozoon. 
spongite (spon 'jit), n. [< L. spongia, sponge, + 
-ite 2 .] A fossil sponge. 
spqngitic (spon-jit'ik), a. [< spongite + -ic.] 
Of the nature ot a fossil sponge ; containing or 
characterized by the fossil remains of sponges. 
spongoblast (spong'go-blast), n. [< Gr. anoy- 
7f, sponge, + ffAaardf, germ.] Same as spon- 
ginblast. 
S'j>ongodie (spong-go-di'e-e), . pi. [NL., < 
Gr. 0iroyy<j6q(;, fjiroyyoetdij^, sponge-like, spongy 
(see spongoid), + -ese."] An order of siphono- 
cladaceous algrje, typified by the genus Codium. 
They form spongy spherical or cylindrical float- 
ing masses, consisting of branched tubes. 
spongoid (spong'goid), . [< Gr. OTroyyoeioqf, 
OTroyyuityc (also fftjtoyyosififa, oij>oyy&dt]<;\ sponge- 
like, < ax6yyo$, sponge, + elios, form.] Spongi- 
form, in any sense ; spongy. 
spongological (spong-go-loj'i-kal), <i. [< spon- 
yolog-y + -/c-a/.] Of or pertaining to spongolo- 
gy, or the science of sponges. 
spongologist (spong-gol'o-jist), n. [< spongol- 
9-y + -'*<.] One who is versed in the science 
of sponges. 
spongology (spong-gol'o-ji), . [< Gr. oxoyyof, 
a sponge, + -Aoyia, < teysiv, speak: see -ology.] 
The science of sponges; the study of the Spon- 
giee, and the body of knowledge thence obtained. 
spongomeral (spong'go-mer-al), a. [< spongo- 
mere + -<7?.] Of or pertaining to a spongomere ; 
choanosomal, as that part of a sponge which is 
characterized by flagellated chambers. 
spongomere (spong'go-mer), . [< Gr. atrdyyof, 
a sponge, + jjiepof, a part.] The upper, choa- 
nosomal part of a sponge, characterized by the 
presence of flagellated chambers: distinguished 
from hypomere. Encyc. Brit., XXII. 415. 
Spongozoon (spong-go-zo'on), n. [< Gr. air6yyof, 
sponge, + Cv ol 'i animal.] Same as spongiozoon. 
Hyatt. 
spongy (spun'ji), . [Formerly also spungy; < 
sponge + -y l .~\ 1. Of the nature or character 
of a sponge; spongiform or spongoid. 2. Re- 
sembling a sponge in certain particulars ; soft 
or elastic and porous ; of open, loose, compres- 
sible texture, like a bath-sponge ; punky, pithy, 
or soft-grained, as wood; boggy or soggy, as 
soil; absorbent; imbibitive. See cuts under 
cellular and cystolith. 
That sad breath his spongy lungs bestow'd. 
Shale., Lover's Complaint, 1. 326. 
plashy base, 
Here pits of crag, with (. 
To some enrich th' uncultivatei 
Crabbe, Works, II. 9. 
3f. As it were soaked with drink; drunken. 
[Bare.] 
What not put upon 
His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt 
Of our great quell? Shale., Macbeth, i. 7. 71. 
4f. Moist; wet; rainy. 
Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims, 
Which spongy April at thy best betrims, 
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns. 
Shalt., Tempest, iv. I. 65. 
Spongy bones, cancellated bones ; specifically, the sphe- 
noturblnals. Spongy cartilage, same as elastic carti- 
