24 



individual animal Ijein^r imbfldded in a jelly- 

 like substanoe. Botryllus Schlosseri, found on 

 seaweeds, is a beautiful object, the jelly-like 

 mass containing groups of individuals arranged 

 star-wise around a common outlet (the moutbs 

 being on the outer circumference of the circle), 

 and the appearance is tnat of a beautiful mosaic 

 in two shades of green. There are allied forms in 

 other colours. 



The Polyzoa, generally considered as belonging 

 to the great sub-kingdom Mollusca, but some- 

 times transferred to that of Vermes, are mostly 

 microscopic animals usually in clusters or colonies, 

 each animal inhabiting a separate cell, and the 

 whole group forming sometimes a miniature plant, 

 and in other cases encrusting seaweeds or stones 

 with a network of delicate tracery or an engraved 

 pattern of great beauty. Such are the different 

 forms of Lepralia, Membranipora, of which several 

 species were shewn, as were also Lagenipora 

 socialis, Lichenopora regularis, Bugula avicularis, 

 and others. 



Among the Annelids we get many " Glimpses of 

 beauty," chiefly in respect of colour. The sea- 

 mouse [Aphrodita), the Eunicidrt- and the 

 Phyllodoces all exhibit metallic and iridescent 

 lustre of the most brilliant character. Pectiiiaria 

 carries a pair of combs of gold. The Serpuht- and . 

 Tahella^ protrude from the tubes in which they live, 

 splendid gill-tufts, and a group of Serpula ron- 

 tortiiplicata, with their calcareous tixbes gract-fully 

 convoluted and supporting each other, is a 

 charming sight. Such a group was now exhibited. 

 AmDng other illustrations of this part of the 

 lecture, microscopic preparations of a gill-tuft 

 of Branchicocomma, and the cirri of Cirratula were 

 greatly admired. The sub-kingdom Echinoder- 

 MATA teems with illustrations of beauty of 

 structure. The skeleton of the common " five- 

 finger " or " starfish " is a thing of exquisite 

 beauty, composed of thousands of particles of 

 carbonate of lime held together by calcified 

 membrane of transparent texture, the whole 

 resembling the finest lacework. The " sand star " 

 (Ophiura) has a small central disk. which contains 

 the organs of digestion, and is compt'sed of a 

 number of plates arranged symmetrically, and on 

 the underside (on which is the mouth) the 

 arrangement of the plates forms a pattern of 

 great beauty, the mouth itself being an aperture 

 in the form of a star of five ra> s, fringed with 

 short, sharp, moveable spines, which serve as 

 teeth. The five arms or rays are composed of a 

 number of segments with over-lapping plates, so 

 articulated as to render the ray flexible, the 

 wh<:>le being covered with retractile integuments 

 by which the movements of the innumerable 

 joints are regulated. The slender rays taper to 

 the finest point. In the " Brittle stars " 

 (Ophiocoma), the rays are furnished with long 

 spines, nooks, and other appendages, and in this 

 genus we find the charm of colour added to that 

 of form, for there is an almost endless variety of 

 tint in the difEerenc species, and even among 

 individuals. 



The class Echinoidea — of which the sea-urchin 

 (Echinus Sphtjera) is a familiar example — has the 

 body rounded and enclosed in a shell composed of 

 numerous closely connected calcareous plates and 



studded with tubercles on which are jointed 

 moveable spines. Certain plates are perforated 

 for the emission of the tube feet, and each of these 

 ambulacral tubes terminate in a sucker formed 

 by a minute calcareous plate surrounded with 

 muscular fiesh which when pierced close to any 

 substance, forms a vacuum until the creature re- 

 laxes its muscular contraction. The common five- 

 finger, sun star, and others of the Asteroidea, are 

 furnished with similar " sucker feet." As the 

 beauty of the skeleton of the starfish cannot be 

 be imagined until all the investing animal matter 

 has been patiently and carefully removed by 

 chemical agency, so it is not until the superficial 

 forest of spines and suckers has been got rid of 

 that the structure of the sea-urchin's shell can be 

 seen with its wonderful complication of angular 

 plates fitted together with the greatest nicety ; 

 and then only can the beauty of the contour of 

 the shell^ts delicate gradation of colour, and th& 

 regularity of the rows of polished tubercles to 

 which the spines were joined, and of the perfor- 

 ated channels for the protrusion of the feet be 

 realised. Examples of these skeletons were 

 exhibited, and lantern pictures displayed an 

 Echinus in the act of travelling up the glass side 

 of an aquarium ; an arm of Ophiocoma vosula 

 (showing the sheafs of spines, booklets, etc.), and 

 many sections of Echinus spines. Glancing now at 

 animals still lower in the scale of life, we found 

 among the Medusif some beautiful forms, one of 

 which {Citvisria carisochroma) was shown on the 

 screen. The floats are arranged like strings of 

 pearls around the margin of its circular body 

 which, thus supported, spreads its delicate filamen- 

 tary tentacles to considerable depth. The upper 

 surface of the disk also exhibits a pattern of 

 extreme beauty. Beroi- is one of the ciliograde 

 acalapha? and is a globular, or rather lemon-shaped 

 body, with longitudinal bands of cilia which., by 

 their vibration, cause the body to revolve and at 

 the same time produce iridescent hues which 

 have a lovely effect as the animal propels itself' 

 through the water. 



The Corals and Zoophytes were next dealt with 

 and contributed some admirable pictures, but to 

 understand the marvellous beauty of the creatures 

 they must be seen alive, and examined under the 

 microscope. 



And thus the lecturer brought his audience to 

 the contemplation of the lowest sub-kingdom in 

 the animal world, the Protozoa, and here the 

 element of beauty asserts itself in some of the 

 Khizopoda. Here we have the Foraminifera— 

 minute, nearly structureless animals — yet pro- 

 vided with a cilcareous shell which often exhibits 

 a beatiful form equal in grace of outline to the 

 Nautilus or Ammonito. These tiny bodies are 

 among the earliest forms of life. The chalk 

 formations are almost entirely composed of their 

 shells. The shells are perforated by numerous 

 pores, through which extensions of tbe animal ar& 

 protruded. 



A beautiful picture was shewn of Rosalina with 

 the pseudopodia protruding like rays around the- 

 body of the creature. Several other slides 

 of Foraminifera were eft'ectively shewn. The 

 /'o?y*isfuia,alliedtotheForaminipora,bavesi^'t"en?/s 

 instead of calcareous shells. These are. therefore. 



