2 BRITISH HYDKOID ZOOPHYTES. 



of Crustacea, and, in fact, upon many other 

 creatures and objects. The shrimp trawlers' 

 nets and boats, and the "rubbish" from the 

 larger trawling vessels afford a rich source 

 whence many rare forms may be obtained. 



Hydroids six-ft. high. If, however, 

 we /were; to look abroad in the Pacific, we 

 . should .find -fixed hydroids of the stature of a 

 man, that is five or six feet high, but those 

 which we are likely to meet with here will 

 generally require the aid of a microscope, in 

 order that their beauty, structure, habits, and 

 remarkable life history may be observed. 

 They are, however, particularly convenient for 

 the microscopist, since they are of so 

 transparent a nature that their internal 

 structure and the operations of digestion and 

 circulation not to mention the elaborate and 

 interesting stinging apparatus, which the 

 animals use for overcoming their prey can be 

 readily observed. Some knowledge of each 

 step of the animal kingdom is so necessary as 

 affording the key to other parts, and for a 

 proper comprehension of the whole, that even 

 creatures so low in the scale of organization 

 as the present group, should not be despised. 



