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-hke Plumudaria 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 
