62 



EVENINGS AT THE MICROSCOPE. 



baby, with its little knees bent up to its chin, in that 

 zigzag fashion that children, little and big, often like to 

 lie in. But stay, here is a child moving ! Softly ! He 

 slowly pushes open the semicircular slit in the coverlid, 

 and we see him gradually protruding his head and 

 shoulders in an erect position, straightening his knees at 

 the same time. He is raised half out of bed, when lo ! 

 his head falls open, and becomes a bell of tentacles ! The 

 baby is the tenant-polype ! 



"This is a very amusing romance," you say. Nay, it 

 is no romance at all. If you will excuse the homeliness of 

 the comparisons, I venture to affirm that a personal exa- 

 mination of the creature itself would justify their correct- 

 ness, and you would acknowledge that they could scarcely 

 be more apt. 



Moreover, the globular chambers show signs of life ; 

 their front doors suddenly open, gape widely, and then 



LEAFY SEA- MAT. 



(A portion magnified.) 



shut with a snap ; and presently this opening and shut- 

 ting is repeated. The meaning of this action you will 

 better understand when you see analogous organs in 



