Marvels ot the Universe 



227 



the newly-made brick on the edge of his tube ; then proceeds to mal<e another. As he grows taller, 

 so he builds his house higher to enable him to retreat into it when alarmed. The slightest vibration 

 of the microscope is sufficient to alarm him, and he requires a little time to gain confidence enough 

 to emerge from his retreat. The time occupied in making a brick is about three minutes ; but it 

 depends, of course, upon the amount of material at his disposal. To see the process well it is 

 ad\isable to put a little carmine in the water ; he quickly utilizes it and makes carmine bricks. 

 I once gave a Little Brickmaker carmine, and after he had laid two or three rows of red 

 bricks around his tube, I put some chalk into the water. He then made some layers of white 

 bricks. Next I supplied him with indigo ; the result was he built his tube of the national 

 colours, red, white and blue, in successive layers. 



/71o(£> tj/j 



U. Leca. 



THE CREEPING PLUMES. 



Jelly-iilce material found coating water-weeds are seen under the microscope to protrude delicate tubes whose summits spread 

 out into exquisite plumes, which are fringed with still more delicate hairs. These serve as a net for capturing food, and for 

 refreshing the blood. 



