ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



Very soon the anemone threw out its beautiful 

 tentacles, which were like the petals of a flower. 



" It is more like a flower than an animal," 

 remarked Harry. 



" Yes," said the doctor, " and related to the 

 corals. You can form a very good idea of the 

 coral animals from this 

 anemone, which differs 

 from the coral polyp 

 mainly in the fact that it 

 does not secrete lime. 

 They all belong to the 

 class Actinozoa. The 

 body, as you see, is a 

 cylinder, its top fringed with tentacles, and di- 

 rectly below is the stomach, hanging in the body, 

 and held in place by vertical partitions. Water 

 in this animal seems to serve the purpose of 

 blood." 



"His blood is no i thicker than water/ then ?" 

 said Tom, with an air of sober inquiry. 



The doctor laughed and resumed : " The 

 tentacles, under the microscope, are seen to be 

 covered with minute cells, in each of which is 



Sea-anemone and its young. 



