SEA- ANEMONES : THEIB WEAPONS. 855 



CHAPTER XIX. 



SEA- ANEMONES : THEIB WEAPONS. 



A VEKY vast amount of the energy of animal life is spent 

 either in making war, or in resisting or evading it. Offence 

 and defence are sciences which the inferior creatures can 

 in nowise neglect, since all are interested in one or other, 

 and many in both ; and various are the arts and devices, 

 the tricks and stratagems, the instincts and faculties, em- 

 ployed in that earnest strife which never knows a suspen- 

 sion of hostilities. All classes of animals, invertebrate as 

 well as vertebrate, are warriors by profession : the Spider 

 is as carnivorous as the Lion, and more strategic ; and 

 the invisible Brachion is as ruthless and insatiable as 

 either. 



An enumeration and description of the different kinds 

 of iceapons, by means of which this truceless warfare is 

 carried on, would make a volume : nor would the subject 

 be then exhausted ; for since it enters so largely into the 

 very existence of animal life, the discoveries of advancing 

 science are ever bringing to light new forms and modifica- 

 tions, strange and unexpected contrivances, all calculated 

 to enhance our view of the inexhaustible resources of the 

 Lord God Omnipotent, " Who is wonderful in counsel, 

 and excellent in working." 



I am going to bring under your notice this evening 

 some highly curious examples of animal weapons, of which 

 the very existence was until lately altogether unsuspected ; 

 yet so profusely distributed that they are eminently cha- 

 racteristic of the animals we have been recently consider- 



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