152 



Marvels of the Universe 





looked closely into, however, 

 the leaves will be seen, and a 

 great number of tiny flowers. 

 At the lower part of the left- 

 hand side a portion of the 

 plant is denuded of leaves and 

 flowers to show how the stems 

 branch again and again, and so 

 build up a strong scaffolding 

 upon which the leaves and 

 flowers are produced in such a 

 way that no wind can tear off 

 portions. 



A TUBE WORM 



BY EDWARD STEP, F.L.S. 



The observant rambler on the 

 sea-shore meets with many 

 strange tubes on the rocks, on 

 empty shells, and sometimes 

 standing up from the sand. 

 Some of these appear to be 

 constructed of porcelain, some 

 of fragments of broken shell; 

 others of grains of sand 

 cemented together. They are 

 all the work of different kinds 

 of sea-worms, which, having 

 delicate bodies such as fishes 

 and other predatory neigh- 

 bours would delight to make a 

 meal of, are constrained to 

 build some sort of a house for 

 their protection. For similar 

 reasons these worms are all of 

 a retiring nature : and he who 

 is content merely to look at these tubes and wonder will never learn anj'thing of their architects. 

 Yet if a shell or a flake of rock supporting one of these tubes be placed in a glass of clear sea- 

 water and watched, the observer will be rewarded by a beautiful sight. 



When everything is still, a brush, like a camel-hair pencil, begins to be pushed out cautiously from 

 the mouth of the tube. Then the filaments of which it is composed begin to separate, first into a 

 funnel-shape and then more widely, until as the light falls across them you find that each thread 

 is really a plume, the shaft giving off delicate transparent branches. This beautiful object consists 

 of the breathing organs, or " gills," of the worm. Through these its blood circulates and absorbs 

 the oxygen of the sea-water. They also serve as a fine net, by means of which microscopic food 

 is gathered from the water and directed to the creature's mouth. A shadow falls across the 

 creature or a step on the floor causes an almost imperceptible tremor, and at once the widespread 

 plume folds up and glides back into the safety of the tube. 



rholo bji'i 



[6". Lfonard Bastin. 



IHE VEGETABLE SHEEP. 



This plant grows in exposed and bleak places. In order therefore to overcome the 

 disadvantages of its home it branches out in a dense tuft of woolly leaves and white 

 flowers, vi'hich give the appearance of a sheep's coat. 



