cavities of a Sponge,
and are there nourished: Notwithstanding all which Histories, I think it
well worth the enquiring into the History and nature of a Sponge, it
seeming to promise some information of the Vessels in Animal substances,
which (by reason of the solidity of the interserted flesh that is not
easily remov'd, without destroying also those interspers'd Vessels) are
hitherto undiscover'd; whereas here in a Sponge, the _Parenchyma_, it
seems, is but a kind of mucous gelly, which is very easily and cleerly
wash'd away.

The reason that makes me imagine, that there may probably be some such
texture in Animal substances, is, that examining the texture of the
filaments of tann'd Leather, I find it to be much of the same nature and
strength of a Sponge; and with my _Microscope_, I have observ'd many such
joints and knobs, as I have described in Sponges, the _fibres_ also in the
hollow of several sorts of Bones, after the Marrow has been remov'd, I have
found somewhat to resemble this texture, though, I confess, I never yet
found any texture exactly the same, nor any for curiosity comparable to it.

The filaments of it are much smaller then those of Silk, and through the
_Microscope_ appear very neer as transparent, nay, some parts of them I
have observ'd much more.

Having examin'd also several kinds of Mushroms, I finde their texture to be
somewhat of this kind, that is, to consist of an infinite company of small
filaments, every way contex'd and woven together, so as to make a kind of
cloth, and more particularly, examining a piece of Touch-wood (which is a
kind _Jews-ear_, or Mushrom, growing here in _England_ also, on several
sorts of Trees, such as Elders, Maples, Willows, &c. and is commonly call'd
by the name of _Spunk_; but that we meet with to be sold in Shops, is
brought from beyond Seas) I found it to be made of an exceeding delicate
texture: For the substance of it feels, and looks to the naked eye, and may
be stretch'd any way, exactly like a very fine piece of _Chamois_ Leather,
or wash'd Leather, but it is of somewhat a browner hew, and nothing neer so
strong; but examining it with my _Microscope_, I found it of somewhat
another make then any kind of Leather; for whereas both _Chamois_, and all
other kinds of Leather I have yet view'd, consist of an infinite company of
filaments, somewhat like bushes interwoven one within another, that is, of
bigger parts or stems, as it were, and smaller branchings