The Rising Generation 19 



abundant a certain gritty quality in the 

 water is appreciable to the sense of 

 touch. The investigation of plankton 

 ranks amongst the most recent of 

 scientific activities, and in early times 

 the nature of the minute animals swarm- 

 ing at the sea surface was subject matter 

 for the wildest conjecture. Many of the 

 creatures now identified as the young 

 forms of common fish, Crustacea, worms 

 and molluscs were given separate names, 

 and were regarded as distinct species far 

 removed from the parent forms. The 

 winkle and the oyster, for instance, 

 commence life as free-swimming animals, 

 encased in delicate glassy shells which 

 they row through the water by means of 

 a number of little hairs or whips that never 

 cease to beat the water. The young of 

 most Crustacea resemble minute hob- 

 goblins. They move more spasmodically 

 than do the young of the molluscs and 

 maintain their grotesque bodies in 



