THE TRIUMPH OF LIFE 



The form of this little stool is, therefore, pre- 

 determined, for the coral polyp is not a form- 

 less mass of jelly, but a radiated blossom like 

 soft body, with a star-like extended structure. 

 The stool indeed must in general take on this 

 form, without to be sure, exactly reproducing 

 the soft body in the hard parts. So there arise 

 delicate little rosettes. The material of which 

 they are formed is not the silica of the radio- 

 laria, but is mostly calcium carbonate. With 

 this little support of lime the coral animal at- 

 taches itself to the primitive rock. These ani- 

 mals pressed co-operatively by millions side to 

 side cover wide fields. At the same time support 

 presses on support forming a compact crust of 

 lime, — like a coat of plaster on the surface of 

 the rock. The surface of the rock itself disap- 

 pears from view beneath it. 



In our efforts to raise a piece of this coral 

 "turf" we find ourselves penetrating below the 

 superficial layer of mortar. However hard the 

 stone beneath may be, still it is not the natural 

 rock. Under the upper layer of lime to which 

 a color is given by the living animals is a second 

 and third layer and so on, masses of lime plain- 

 ly composed of mortar made by coral animals. 

 The form of the support shows itself clearly. 

 These are old supports, unused, piled in pyra- 

 mids, upon the uppermost platform of which 

 the living possessors erect rows of supports. 

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