228 HIGHWATER MARK. 



of the lower into the groove formed by the formidably- 

 toothed edges of the upper, make us involuntarily 

 shrink and shudder, lest the vicious bite should take 

 a piece out of our flesh. 



It is probable that this well-armed apparatus is 

 auxiliary to the procuring of food. Not, however, 

 that it directly subserves this end ; for, being placed 

 outside the cell, no communication exists between 

 this ferocious mouth and the stomach of the animal 

 within. But it may act as a trap to capture minute 

 animals, which then, being held tenaciously until they 

 decay, do in the process of decomposition attract mil- 

 lions of infusoria to prey upon them. These then, 

 stimulated by abundant food, increase immensely in 

 that vicinity by spontaneous fission: multitudes of 

 these swarming minims must every instant be caught 

 in the ciliary vortex of the expectant animal ; and 

 thus the action of the bird's head may be that of a 

 man who over-night scatters ground-bait about the 

 spot where on the morrow he intends to fish. 



