ANTHOZOA HYDROIDA. 97 



were closely arranged, it was instantly in a blaze, and became 

 for a little like a sheet of fire. 



Some time afterwards, I repeated the experiment with 

 several other zoophytes. I got some specimens of the ele- 

 gant feather-like Plumularia cristata, but they had lain too 

 long exposed to the ungenial influences of a November sky, 

 so that only a few of the polypes lighted up their tiny lamps, 

 and their light was feeble and of a darker red than any I had 

 seen exhibited. Having got a compound Ascidia attached 

 to a seaweed, when I shook it roughly in the dark, I had 

 the satisfaction of seeing that it was as much disposed as 

 any of the zoophytes to resent the insult. Though beauti- 

 fully marked with star-like figures, it sent not forth a spark- 

 ling light as might have been expected from these rows of 

 stars, but the whole massy body of the creature became at 

 once in a glow, shining, however, with a more lurid and 

 sullen-looking fire. 



We are naturally led to inquire why the benign Creator, 

 who does nothing in vain, has granted to so many of the 

 feeble inhabitants of the deep, the power, in certain circum- 

 stances, of becoming luminous. As He made all things for 

 His own glory, and as His inanimate and irrational creatures 

 glorify Him, by furnishing to His rational and intelligent 



H 



