CYCLOBrvANCHS. 217 



or amid the deep dark shade of innumerable sea-plauts ; 

 they shine in the midst of a humid atmosphere, — nay, even 

 in the midst of water, — and beautifully illuminate those 

 depths into which the rays of the sun can never penetrate. 

 Perhaps, like the enchanted lamp of Armida, they allure 

 many a wandering mollusk, — or, in other words, as insects 

 of every description are powerfully attracted by light, they 

 may compensate to numerous rock-adhering rnollusks for 

 the deficiency of their moving powers. 



The fire-flies of tropical regions afford sufficient light to 

 guide the traveller on his way, and why should not the 

 fire-flies or glowworms of the deep shed forth their mild 

 pale beams for the benefit of those innumerable living 

 creatures that abound in the depth of ocean ? 



CYCLOBEANCHS. 



These creatures have a voiceless eloquence, 

 Heard 'mid the roar of ocean, though the waves 

 Lift up their voices, and the Storm his path 

 Makes o'er the mountain billows. 



The respiratory organs of the CyclohmncUata may be 



