i68 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE, 



A DAINTY FINGER SPONGE FOUND IN A 

 ROCK-POOL 



Though I immediately took out the 

 fork, I had heard the points clink on 

 the glass; and as the injured creature 

 quickly drew in its tentacles and trans- 

 formed itself into a leathery lump, I 

 felt that it could never survive the 

 blow. But, after a few minutes, I saw, 

 to my astonishment, the tentacles 

 slowly reappearing, and soon the anem- 

 one was as fully blossomed as before 

 the accident. I dropped a piece of 

 clam into the water just over the 

 creature's mouth, and the tentacles, 

 slowly waving to and fro. made a cur- 

 rent which drew the food into the 

 mouth. This is its usual mode of eat- 

 ing, and in this case, seemed to be per- 

 formed with as much ease as if nothing 

 had disturbed its quiet life. 



The food of this animal consists of 

 various creatures of the sea, in some 

 cases larger than itself. Worms, crabs, 

 young fish — these are among its favor- 

 ites, all hard and shelly parts being dis- 

 posed of by turning its stomach inside 

 out ! 



Tne anemone has the power of 

 thrusting out from various parts of its 

 body, tiny white filaments, with which 

 it kills its victim before swallowing 

 it. A naturalist writes that he has seen 

 young mackerel die from coming in 

 contact with an anemone. 



The larvae of these animals are 

 formed in the tentacles ; from these 

 they pass into the stomach, and are 

 ejected from the mouth with the refuse 

 of the food. An anemone in the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens of Paris, having taken 

 a large quantity of food, ejected a por- 

 tion of it, and in this mass were found 

 thirty-eight young anemones. In some 

 cases the young grow on the outside 

 of the parent, like buds on a plant ; 

 after a time they detach themselves, 

 and become separate individuals. 



The tide is now fast approaching the 

 pool, and I must hurry to make my 

 call on the other inhabitants. 



The most noticeable are the star-fish 

 and sea-urchins, or more scientifically, 

 the asterias and echinus. The former 

 are the more brilliant in color, being 



THE CURIOUS TWISTINGS OF THE SERPULA 

 ON AN OYSTER SHELL 



