FAIEY LAND AMONG THE SPONGES. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE EUPLECTELLA, OR VENUS'S SEA-BASKET. 



A NOTHER great surprise was at hand, when the 

 *- wonderful Eupledella, or Venus's Sea-Basket, was 

 discovered. Whatever might have been the case with 

 the Hyalonema, the Euplectella could not be of human 

 construction. (See page 9.) 



The ingenious Japanese could make a mermaid from 

 papier - macho" moulded over a carefully constructed 

 skeleton. He could work fish-skin into its substance 

 while wet, prick hairs into it with patient assiduity, and 

 with equal foresight intermingle the hairs with tiny fish- 

 scales. He could fill the half-opened mouth with strange 

 teeth, but no human fingers could weave the glassy 



