VESICLES OF CORALLINES. 75 



the lion's provider, and the polyps may be repre- 

 sented as the jackals of the coralline. How mar- 

 vellous are the arrangements of this complicated 

 being ! "We have not a solitary coralline, to be 

 contemplated on taking it from the waters, but one 

 of a long series of greatly diversified species, each 

 one having some peculiarity, and not unfrequently 

 many, by which it may be easily distinguished from 

 all others. Every peculiarity answers moreover the 

 design of the All-wise and Supreme Artificer, and 

 shows how minute are the arrangements he makes 

 for the existence and continuance 

 of the humblest of his creatures. 



Nor is the tale of wonder yet 

 finished. For, as the eye dwelt 

 upon the engravings over which 

 we have just passed, it could not 

 fail to notice other objects to 

 which as yet no allusion has been 

 made.* These are vesicles, which 

 are apparent on corallines in the 

 spring of the year, and exhibit, 

 in common with every other part 

 of such structures, great variety. 

 The vesicles of the Sertularia 

 abietina are scattered, smooth, and 



, , , , rr( , VESICLES OF THE SER- 



nave a tubulous mouth. They TULARIA PRIMATA. 

 are always on the upper edge of the branch from 

 which they originate. In Plumaria falcata, they 

 * See pp. 66-70. 



