THE WONDEES OF THE SHORE. 37 



than they learnt, seeming to go backwards when 

 they were really progressing most: and now we 

 have entered into their labours, and find them, as I 

 have just said, more wondrous than all the poetic 

 dreams of a Bonnet or a Darwin. For who, after 

 all, to take a few broad instances (not to enlarge 

 on the great root-wonder of a number of distinct 

 individuals connected by a common life, and forming 

 a seeming plant invariable in each species), would 

 have dreamed of the " bizarreries " which these very 

 zoophytes present in their classification? You go 

 down to any shore after a gale of wind, and pick 

 up a few delicate little sea-ferns. You have two in 

 your hand, which probably look to you, even under 

 a good pocket magnifier, identical or nearly so* 

 But you are told to your surprise, that however like 

 the dead horny polypidoms which you hold may be, 

 the two species of animal which have formed them 

 are at least as far apart in the scale of creation as 



* Sertvlaria operculata and Gemellaria loricidata ; or any of the 

 small Sertula^nce, compared with Crisice and Cellularioi, are very- 

 good examples. For a fuller descinption of these, see Appendix, 

 explaining Plate I. 



