THE LAND OF THE DANCING CRANE. 21 



"All stones don't sink," said the doctor, 

 laughing to see Harry's look of surprise. " That 

 coral doesn't mean to be left out of our collec- 

 tion ; seriously, I think we had better keep the 

 specimen," he added ; and the floating coral was 

 again picked up. 



"But what is it and why is it doctor?" 

 asked Harry. 



"It is what might be called the skeleton of 

 the coral called Meandrina spongiosa" explained 

 the doctor; "and when the animals die it be- 

 comes bleached. It is very porous, and the 



pores being full of air, 

 the coral floats easily on 

 the water." 



" Hold on a minute," 

 said Dick, as the boat 

 grated over some branch- 

 coral, knocking off thou- 



Anthea cereus (Opelet). gandg Q f tipg> The ^ 



gliy was stopped, and Dick, leaning over the 

 side, tore off a branch of dead coral. Hanging 

 to it was a beautiful anemone. Dick handed it 

 to the doctor, who placed it in a glass of water. 



