ITS STRUCTURE. 277 



patches were an inch and a half in width. The micro- 

 scope reveals that in this suhstance, which is gelatinous, 

 and of a consistence somewhat hetween flesh and car- 

 tilage, are imbedded numerous oblong cells, set as 

 close to each other as they will lie, with the orifices 

 slanting outward to the surface, and so arranged as 

 that each opening shall be in a line between the two 

 that are just behind it ; in other words, disposed in 

 quincunx. The upper and free portion of each cell 

 is surrounded by short spines standing up and diverg- 

 ing a little, their number varying from one or two to 

 five or six. Between them is the opening of the cell, 

 a transverse slit, or pair of lips capable of separating 

 and of allowing the integuments to be protruded by 

 evolution ; the usual mode of expansion among the 

 Polyzoan polypes. You would fancy it was the finger 

 of a fairy glove, slowly turning inside out ; the mem- 

 branous tube lengthening all the while upwards from 

 the midst of the spines, and unfolding with more and 

 more rapidity, until at length a bundle of fine threads 

 appear, and in a moment expand on all sides into a 

 most lovely bell of thirty tentacles. Meanwhile 

 another and another is protruding in like manner, 

 and presently the uncouth skin that looked like a 

 piece of rough leather, is adorned every where with 

 these beauteous bells as thick as they can stand. 

 They appear as if they were spun out of glass thread, 

 so crystalline is their substance; and the double curve 

 of their outhne is peculiarly elegant. To add to their 

 beauty, every filamentous tentacle is furnished with a 

 double series of minute cilia, the rapid play of which 

 is perpetually passing up one side from the base to 

 B 2 



