ITS DEFENCES. 223 



tenuity, which branch and re-branch, taking a firm 

 hold by adhesion of the surface, into which they have 

 no power of actually penetrating. 



In order to see this with advantage, however, we 

 must take home the specimen, and submit it to a 

 good microscope. Then, by the aid of reflected light, 

 the appearance of the network of ramifying fibrils of 

 white shelly matter on the dark frond is very regular 

 and beautiful, and we perceive how effective a sup- 

 port is afforded by this contrivance. These little re- 

 ticulate areas are thickly scattered on the leafy floor, 

 which is overshadowed by the umbrageous shrublet. 



To the same revealing implement we must resort 

 for the full discovery of several interesting details 

 in the structure and economy of this minute crea- 

 ture. The habitation itself is far from being a simple 

 wall. Each pyriform cell is strengthened just above 

 its base by one or two thickened rings, forming a 

 sort of joint. It bears a certain resemblance to a 

 shoe, the large oval aperture representing the 

 " quarter/' the edge of which, being thickened, is like 

 the binding of the shoe. It is a transparent glass 

 slipper, far more delicate than the foot of the fairest 

 Cinderella that ever lived could have put on. From 

 the outer edge of this " quarter," near the heel, pro- 

 ject, in a slanting direction outwards, three short 

 shelly spines, the middle one being the largest, the 

 use of which, in the animal's economy, is doubtless to 

 ward off danger, whether arising from blundering 

 friends or malicious foes. 



