THE BOOK ABOUT THE SEA GARDENS 



vessel and killed by the addition of formalin to 

 the water. The fan will then die with its flowers 

 in bloom, and though no sea thing is ever as 

 beautiful dead and dry as it is in the sea, these 

 frutti di mare are sufficiently beautiful to find 

 many purchasers. 



It is interesting to know how the fans and corals 

 plant themselves. They are propagated from 

 seeds, or more properly eggs, that are washed 

 away in the water from the parent colony. Wher- 

 ever these settle they begin to grow, or die, ac- 

 cording to the conditions they find. Sometimes 

 they fall upon other corals and may be found like 

 parasitic plants upon a tree. It is rather odd, 

 perhaps, that more specimens are not found like 

 this, or rather that so many are found entirely 

 free from foreign growths ; but it seems likely that 

 each kind should have some means of protecting 

 itself. Possibly only unhealthy specimens are 

 thus imposed upon. It is reasonable to admit 

 analogies to one kind of existence until a good 

 reason suggests itself which disposes of them. 



18 



