552 THE WONDER OF LIFE 



elsewhere. Dr. Stuart Thomson points out that many 

 colours occur on different specimens — ^purple, red, green, 

 grey, intermediate between purple and grey, intermediate 

 between green and purple, pink, hlac, and so on. The 

 coloration is variable. The investigator has tested various 

 utihtarian interpretations, and finds them aU untenable. 

 The coloration is not protective, or aggressive, or for 

 warning, or connected with sex. Its meaning is to be 

 sought for in the internal physiological processes (probably 

 respiratory or excretory) of the animals themselves. To 

 this sound conclusion we have simply to add that it is 

 conceivable that in the future the coloration might be 

 caught up into the service of the sea-urchin's general hfe, 

 and utihzed, let us say, for protection. 



Eegeneeation of Lost Parts 



From ancient times something has been known of the 

 regenerative capacity of hving creatures. The pruned 

 tree regrows its branches and a small cutting can re-grow 



the entire plant. The hair 



that is shaved ofE soon grows 



again — sometimes reproducing 



millions of cells every day, and 



the stag's antlers fall off and 



are re-grown every year. But 



it was not till the eighteenth 



Pig. 89.-" Monster" form of Century that scientific attention 



Hydra ''grisea, with eight was focussed on the remarkable 



heads and two bases. {After . ,i , m 



Roesel von Rosenhof.) lacts. It was then that irem- 



bley discovered the freshwater 

 polyp and called it Hydra, after the monster with which Her- 



