CHAPTEK XX 

 CIRCLET OF SCOLEX ; SILK 



The Circlet of Scolex. 



beautiful object is scarcely visible to 

 unaided eyesight, both because of its 

 minuteness and of its transparency. In the 

 original photo-micrograph it looks like a 

 piece of sculptured marble. Three questions 

 naturally arise in connection with this 

 curious object. First, is the circlet arranged 

 artificially ? What are its uses ? And what 

 is a scolex? 



The circlet occupies this form in Nature, 

 and is arranged around the head of a tiny 

 creature. Its mission is to hook on to 

 certain internal parts of creatures on which 



190 



