122 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



and as soon as the worm is turned into a tree it 

 rooteth into the earth and so becomes great.' ' 



I have quoted the passage at length because 

 it is absolutely the only direct evidence as to 

 the upright habit of the virgularia ; all the rest 

 is conjecture, possibly well founded, but still 

 conjecture only, derived from its shape and 

 structure, and appearance when obtained. I, of 

 course, accept Darwin's evidence absolutely on 

 a point he vouches as an eye-witness, but it did 

 not seem to me entirely to conclude the contro- 

 versy as regards the British species, which is an 

 inhabitant of deep water, and which no one has 

 seen in its natural position. I therefore examined 

 the collection at the British Museum in order 

 to find out how far the Bahia species is identical 

 with, or similar to, the British, but unfortunately 

 it contains no example of Virgularia patagonica. 

 I am bound, however, to add that the speci- 

 mens of virgularia from Trinidad and Panama 

 are sufficiently analogous in appearance to the 

 British to justify the conclusion that their habits 

 are likely to be similar. From the appearance 

 of the creature in confinement, I should have 

 considered it impossible that it could withdraw 

 itself into the soil when touched. It is very stiff 

 and brittle, and does not present any appear- 

 ance of muscular energy, or of that peculiar elas- 

 ticity which Darwin alludes to. I fully admit, 

 however, that the balance of evidence is de- 



