CORAL BUILDERS. 219 



Polyps, properly so called, and the Hydroids, com- 

 mencing with the former. 



If we select for illustration such a familiar marine 

 animal as the sea-anemone, with which most persons 

 are more or less acquainted in these latter days, 

 either adhering to rocks, on the sea-shore, at low 

 water, or flourishing in tanks, either in public aquaria, 

 exhibitions, or zoological gardens, we shall have, as 

 far as structure goes, a very fair representative of 

 the Actinia-like coral polyps, but deficient in the 

 power of secreting coral. With this exception, it 

 will suit our purpose. Who has not read the 

 Rev. Charles Kingsley's " Glaucus ; or, Wonders of 

 the Shore " ? And whoever has read it will remember 

 what he writes of these Anemones : " In the crannies 

 of every rock you will find sea-anemones. There 

 they hang upon the under-side of the ledges, appar- 

 ently mere rounded lumps of jelly ; one is of dark 

 purple dotted with green ; another, of a rich chocolate ; 

 another, of a delicate olive ; another, sienna-yellow ; 

 another, all but white. Take them from their rock ; 

 you can do it easily by slipping under them your 

 finger-nail, or the edge of a pewter spoon. When 

 you get home, turn them into a dish full of water, and 

 leave them for the night, and go to look at them 

 to-morrow. What a change ! The dull lumps of 

 jelly have taken root, and flowered during the night, 

 and your dish is filled, from side to side, with a 



