36 HIDDEN BEAUTIES OF NATURE 



piece of workmanship. Its ruins at the present 

 moment are sufficient to show this. But on referring 

 to Nature, we can readily find an object which will 

 eclipse the symmetry of the Colosseum, and, at the 

 same time, occupy but the tenth of an inch in 

 diameter, or even less. The sea beach will supply us 

 with any number of such objects. We will select one. 

 It is the spine or spike of the sea-urchin. Many of 

 the spines are no thicker than a brass pin. The 

 echinus is a creature nearly related to the star-fish, 

 and is covered with spikes which somewhat resemble 

 those of the hedge-hog. Take one of these spikes, 

 cut it across with a sharp knife, or better still, with a 

 razor, and then cut a thin shaving transversely, and 

 place it on a slip of glass. Look at it with the 

 microscope. If you know anything of photography, 

 photograph it through the microscope. Thereby 

 you will obtain a very much enlarged picture of 

 it, which if put into a lantern may be shown on a 

 screen 12 or 15 ft. in diameter. Notwithstanding the 

 tremendous enlargement from one-tenth of an inch up 

 to several feet, the beauty of this object always 

 commands general and unstinted admiration. 



Different classes of sea-urchins have different kinds 

 of spikes, but all show wonderful sections. Figures 

 4 and 5 may suggest hints to designers in lace, in 

 wall-papers, in linoleum, or may be copied as centre- 

 pieces for ceilings, for patterns for mosaic work, or 

 for the stone mullions of end windows in churches. 

 The landscape artist tells his pupils to go to Nature 



