191 



CHAP. XII. 



RADIATA, OK RAYED ANIMALS ZOOPHYTES. 



Various Species of Zoophytes. Tubularia. Sertularia. Sea- 

 pen. Sea-fan. Actiniae, " Sea Anemones," &c. 



LET us restrict our attention to such specimens 

 of the great sub-kingdom of the Radiata as our 

 visit to the sea-shore affords us an opportunity of 

 examining, keeping in view the subdivision of the 

 Eadiata into the four great classes into which 

 scientific men have included them. 



Here is a little rock pool. It contains sea- 

 water clear and pure, left by the last tide. Its 

 sides are festooned with sea-weeds, and the bot- 

 tom of it, on which those little crabs are moving 

 about, is composed of fine sand. Let us take up 

 a little of this sand and subject it to our micro- 

 scope, which although a pocket instrument pos- 

 sesses no inconsiderable power. 



The sand is itself an interesting object when 

 magnified; but we perceive mingled with it a 

 multitude of extremely minute shells. Some of 

 them are broken, but many of those which are 

 complete are extremely elegant in their forms. 

 These minute but beautiful shells belong to a tribe 

 of microscopic creatures called Foraminifera. 



