14 FAIRY LAND AMONG THE SPONGES. 



moment that the Euplectella could have been designed, 

 much less formed, by man. The most accomplished 

 naturalists were the most astonished when the Euplectella 

 was first brought to the light of day, and could only sit 

 and gaze in silence and bewildered admiration. 



As is always the case with the works of the Creator, 

 the microscope, one of His latest and best gifts to man, 

 reveals more and greater wonders than can be visible to 

 the unassisted eye. 



It has already been mentioned that the skeleton of the 

 sponges is formed of many-pointed and differently shaped 

 spicules. But when the spicules of the Euplectella were 

 placed under the microscope they were found to excel in 

 beauty and variety those of the ordinary sponges as 

 much as the sea-baskets excel in external appearance the 

 sponges of commerce. 



A few of the spicules most generally found in the 

 various glass-sponges are given in the accompanying 

 illustration (Fig. 3). Formed apparently of the purest 

 glass, with milky opalescent tints melting imperceptibly 

 into each other, with their graceful curves and outlines 

 drawn with a firm decision that baffles the best artist's 

 pencil, they are of such minute dimensions that the six- 

 rayed spicule at A e is only one thirteen-hundredth of 

 an inch in diameter. Were it further magnified, fresh 

 beauties would be discovered at every increase of mag- 

 nifying power. 



Beginning with A, which represents some spicules of 

 an Euplectella, a is an " anchoring filament ; " b b b b are 



