240 



THE MICROSCOPE AND ITS LESSONS. 



who worked together beneath the mighty deep, errone- 

 ously called " coral insects" ages before the appearance 

 of the human race ? May I remind you ? * The con- 

 sideration has turned my philosophy into divinity. Or, 

 can I look upon that most marvellous proof of the 

 almightiness of God as seen in the contrasts of nature in 

 the zoophytic life of the common Sertularia, commonly 

 called seaweed, which may be found in almost all parts 

 of our coasts, without emotion ? Would I be so soulless ? 

 Our admirably drawn cut on p. 242 will faithfully show 



A piece of common sponge, showing the oscula, with currents of water 

 passing out. 



you what a vast family may lie concealed in what, to the 

 unaided eye, appears to be an infinitely small branch of sea- 

 weed, but which is nothing but the self-erected dwelling 

 of many thousands of microscopic creatures one set 

 agreeing to construct their habitations in this direction, 

 and another in that; while the whole colony unite in 

 presenting us with their exquisite fern-like total, where 

 we find a separate creature in each of the tiny dots on 

 each part of the several fronds. Also perhaps, on the 

 same bit of rock upon which the sertularia is found, 

 there may be discovered a portion of marine sponge 

 * See Appendix. 



