PLANT-ANIMALS 181 



not easy to draw a dividing line between the two 

 kingdoms. It proved too great a problem for the 

 scientists of the past; and even to-day there is a 

 confusion and wrangling and differing of opinions 

 as to where the line may be drawn. 



Moss-animals, which are plant-animals, repro- 

 duce in two ways: one is by sprouting new buds, 

 the other by laying eggs. The corals all belong 

 to the plant-animal family. Notwithstanding their 

 striking similarity to plants in colour, shape, form, 

 and even in reproduction by budding, they are ani- 

 mals, and also reproduce by laying eggs. There is 

 one way, however, in which many moss-animals 

 differ from the corals : that is in their form. Like 

 the snail and the oyster, the body of the moss- 

 animal consists of only a tiny sack containing a 

 stomach; whereas the coral, if examined closely, 

 shows a number of minute folders, or plates, all 

 pointing from the edge to the centre, somewhat 

 resembling the spikes of an umbrella. It, therefore, 

 belongs to the jelly-fish family. Thus, while hav- 

 ing these budding qualities, and grouping them- 

 selves into plant-like colonies, the corals are really 

 members of the animal family. 



Among the AlgaB are numerous plants, bril- 

 liantly coloured: here are purples and blues, there 

 are greens and oranges, yonder a bit of violet, yel- 



