56 Marvels of Pond-Life. 



very long, and glistening like delicate threads of spun 

 glass. 



Knowing that the Floscules live in transparent 

 gelatinous tubes, such an object was carefully looked 

 for, but in this instance, as is not uncommon, it was 

 perfectly free from extraneous matter, and possessed 

 nearly the same refractive power as the water, so that 

 displaying it to advantage required some little trouble 

 in the way of careful focusing, and many experiments 

 as to the best angle at Avhich the mirror should be 

 turned to direct the light. When all was accomplished, 

 it was seen that the Floscule had her abode in a clear 

 transparent cylinder, like a thin confectioner^s jar, 

 which she did not touch except at the bottom, to which 

 her foot was attached. Lying aside her in the bottle 

 were three large eggs, and the slightest shock given to 

 the table> induced her to draw back in evident alarm. 

 Immediately afterwards she slowly protruded a dense 

 bunch of the fine long hairs, which quivered in the 

 light, and shone with a delicate bluish-green lustre, 

 here and there varied by opaline tints. 



The hairs were thrust out in a mass, somewhat after 

 the mode in which the old-fashioned telescope hearth- 

 brooms were made to put forth their bristles. As soon 

 as they were completely everted, together with the 

 upper portion of the Floscule, six lobes gradually 

 separated, causing the hairs to fall on all sides in a 

 graceful shower, and when the process was complete, 

 they remained perfectly motionless, in six hollow fan- 

 shaped tufts, one being attached to each lobe. Some 

 internal ciliary action, quite distinct from the hairs. 



