CRISIADiE. 5| g 



and singular adaptations of means to an end, — or if you 

 desire to see vitality under its most unusual, and yet most 

 interesting phases, — or if you would have emotions of 

 adoring wonder excited, and the tribute of praise elicited 

 to that mighty Creator who made all things for His own 

 glory, — then take such a zoophyte as this, fresh from the 

 clear tide-pool, take him without inflicting injury ; there- 

 fore detach with care a minute portion of the surface-rock, 

 and drop your prisoner, with every organ in full activity, 

 into a narrow glass cell with parallel sides, filled with clear 

 sea-water, and put the whole on the stage of the micro- 

 scope, with a power of not more than 100 linear, at least, 

 for the first examination. I greatly mistake if you will 

 not confess that the intellectual treat obtained is well 

 worth — ay, ten times more than worth — all your trouble." 



Crisiad^e, signifying a separation; applied to a parasi- 

 tical family. Crisia cornuta, " Goat's-horn Coralline "of Ellis, 

 having cells linked in a single series ; the same remark ap- 

 plies to C. ckelata, " Bull's-horn Coralline ;" the latter look 

 like a number of shoes fitting close to the ancle, joined by 

 the toe-part to the heel of others. Ellis says : " This beau- 

 tiful coralline is one of the smallest we meet with. It rises 

 from tubuli growing upon fuci, and passes from thence into 

 sickle-shaped branches, consisting of single rows of cells, 

 looking when magnified like bull's horns inverted, each one 

 arising out of the top of the other. The upper branches take 

 their rise from the fore-part of the entrance of a cell, where 

 we may observe a stiff, short hair, which seems to be the 

 beginning of a branch. The opening of each cell, which 

 is in the front of its upper part, is surrounded by a thin 

 circular rim ; and the substance of the cells appears to 

 consist of a fine transparent shell or coral-like substance." 



Crisia eburnea, " Tufted-ivory Coralline" attains the 

 height of an inch, and displays its beautiful white, bushy 

 tufts, with often a dash of light-red intermingled. Its cells 

 are loosely aggregated and cylindrical, with bent tubular 

 orifices free ; while the Crisia aculeata have cells closely 

 aggregated, cylindrical, nearly straight, with long slender 

 spines springing from the margin of every cell, giving it a 

 delicate and pretty appearance. 



EuCRATiADiE. — We select from this family a specimen of 



