126 THE MICROSCOPIST IN BERMUDA. 



fuse clusters in their skins, I have not the remotest idea. I will 

 be pleased to show you these objects, under dark-field illumin- 

 ation, at the close of the lecture. 



In rambling about the island I happened one day to meet my 

 friend, Dr. F. M. Hamlin, of Auburn, K Y. He was in the 

 outlet of Harrington Sound, in his high rubber boots, searching 

 for the rare little bird's-head Polyzoa, the Avicularia. On the 

 sides or the exposed under surfaces of rocks where some strong 

 tide current runs almost continually, will sometimes be found 

 these little animal clusters attached and growing like a tiny 

 bunch of sea-weed. Later at his room we had some of these 

 objects under the microscope while still living and disporting in 

 their native element. I do not think I have ever seen a more 

 interesting sight than they presented when magnified by a low- 

 power objective. Every branch of the shining white tuft was 

 swaying and instinct with animal life. One above another on all 

 sides of the stems were perched the little sea-anemones, with 

 their vases of bright colored tentacles searching about in the 

 water. Over the side of each polyp cup and about half-way 

 down, was loosely attached a miniature condor's head, slowly 

 nodding and at the same time snapping its enormous jaws with 

 savage spitefulness. Without a moment's respite, and withoiit 

 any apparent connection with the animal within the cup, these 

 singular appendages keep up their mimic show of battle as long 

 as there is life in the cell which they seem to guard. "Whatever 

 can be the use or office of these strange members of the com- 

 munity, it is very difficult to determine. They are too far 

 removed and too clumsily large to be purveyors of food for 

 their host. However, that they subserve some important purpose 

 is quite certain ; for there are no useless members or wasted func- 

 tions in the animal economy. Several observers have noticed 

 that when these formidable jaws have happened to seize some 

 passing object like a minute crustacean, they have held on to it 

 with a death grip. So it has been conjectured that the office of 

 the bird's-head attachments was to catch animal prey and to hold 

 it until it died and its decaying body brought around those 

 swarms of infusoria which are always present to feed upon de- 



