1304 Chap. 57 * 
Theatrum Botanicnm. 
Trib e 14. 
1 . Spongiamamaajualu. 
The ordinary Sea Sponger 
2 , Spoxgia infundibuliforma* 
A Funnell UkeSpong. 
4 Sfcngh raw fa alter a Anglian. 
Another branched E'ogUihSca Sponge. 
colour that it holds*, being is ill know of afoft. fubftance, neither flony, 
wooddy,nor herbe like: but rather like a peece of wooll or cloth fo wrought 
together by nature, that being full of holes, it is ready to receive and hold 
much water and by preflingor wringing ready to yeeld it out againe, but as 1 
encteafeth in the water, it gathereth into it, or elft there ,s driven into the 
holes thereof divers fmall gritty (tones, which are ulually found therein, de¬ 
claring the breeding thereof, not to be farre from the ground, by the receipt 
of thefe (tones. AriftotU in his fifth bookc and itf .Chapter. debijhrta amma- 
aith that divers did thinke and fay in his time that Sponges had fence in 
them, for that (as they (ay) they would (hrinke ifanydid pluckc them, and 
were hard to be pulled up, and that they doe fo like wife,\yhen the (urges of 
the Sea would breake them off from their refidence, hut laith drtftotlc in the 
feme place, divers did doubt of the trueth of that relation, and thofe were 
they that dwelt at Toronna. I have beene bold to infertthis proore of Art- 
fiotlein this place,to refute the opinion of thofe that hold Sponges, and the 
like to be Zoophjt£ i CcnCn\ye creatures, for all though a&rmed in Anfiotles 
time,yet doubted of them aifo : and therefore wee that have beene better 
taught,and in a Schoole offarre greater knowledge, both of Divine and hu¬ 
mane things,may well caft of fuch fond conceits. 
2, Spongia infundibiiliforma. Funnell like Sponge. 
This Sponge Clnfm hath fet forth to have feene cleaving to a very hard 
blackeftone of twelve pound weight, and was broad above and narrow be¬ 
low, where it crew to the (lone like unto a funcll, or to the flpwer of an herbe 
yet not ofaneauall height at the brims, which alfo were fo turned inwards 
that they fecsied to be like leaves foulded inwards. One faith Clufitu, I re¬ 
member I faw while I lived at (Jlfcwyc/icr,that did molt exaftly rclemblc the 
forme of a very large hat. S n ia 
