140 HUMBLE CREATURES. 



mental impulses^ and resulting from psychical powers 

 that are as distinct in their nature from those just 

 described as are the active and highly organised 

 creatures themselves from the Anemone, growing, as 

 it were, upon the rock. And is this not perfectly 

 natural, and in accordance with the progressive deve- 

 lopment exhibited in the structure of the animals ? 

 In the radiate types we have a set of tentacles, long 

 or short, thick or thin, hard or soft, but always ten- 

 tacles, and nothing more. Their office is to seize the 

 food with which they come into contact, and convey 

 it to the stomach, and for this object their simple 

 form is amply sufficient. 



But now, turning to the insect tribes, we find 

 in the Mantis* and others, certain parts of the 

 members of locomotion, &c., transformed into power- 

 fid blades or claws, with which they are enabled 

 to capture and despatch their prey. The Spider, 

 again, possesses a set of spinarets wherewith to 

 weave a web for the same purpose, and a combing 

 apparatus upon each foot, to aid it in its operations. 

 The suctorial insects are furnished with probosces, 

 or suction-pumps, and the parasites with lancets, 

 that are used to extract the juices from plants and 

 animals. 



* Mantis religiosa is an interesting and well-known insect 

 of prey, a native of the Soutli of France, that usually assumes 

 the attitude of prayer (hence its name) whilst watching for 

 passing flies, which it strikes down with its scythe-shaped 

 fore-legs. 



