Marvels of the Universe 



429 



a multitude of long, taper- 

 ing tentacles. The broad- 

 based column is flesh- 

 coloured or lilac, whilst 

 the tentacles are mosth' 

 bright green, with pink or 

 crimson tips. In Provence 

 this Anemone is converted 

 into a table delicacv 

 known as " Rastegna." 



The Dahha ^^'artlet is 

 our most show\' species. 

 its banded thick tentacles, 

 with their clear tints, 

 making a strong contrast 

 with the crimson disk. 

 The column is mostly hid- 

 den, for it is covered with 

 suckers to which bits of 

 shell and small shingle ad- 

 here, so that when the 

 tentacles are withdrawn 

 the Dahlia looks like a 

 small rounded heap of 

 gravel. There are many in- 

 teresting species we should 

 like to mention, but space 

 forbids. For an idea of 

 some of these we must 

 refer the reader to the 

 illustrations in these pages, 

 and to the coloured plate. 



WORM TUBES BUILT OF FORAMINiFERA. 



These Foraminifera have been picUed up by a minute worm and cemented together to 

 form a secure retreat. They are shown twenty-five times larger than the natural size. 



FORAMINIFERA 



BY RICH.'\RD KERR, F.G.S. 



These are small marine creatures, which possess very beautiful shells composed of carbonate of 

 hme. The shells, however minute, are perforated throughout to allow numbers of tiny feelers 

 to protrude. These feelers may be used both as a means of locomotion and for drawing in food 

 particles. Because of the minute perforations in the shells the name Foraminifera is given to 

 them as a whole, however varied their shapes may be. 



" About the size of a pin's head " is a common expression, used so frequently to describe the 

 size of any very small object that it has almost become a sort of mental unit of measurement. 

 It may very well hold good for some of the shells under consideration, but for myriads of them 

 the pin's-head dimensions would convey an exaggerated idea of their actual size. Suppose the 

 pin's head to be hollowed out, it would readily form a receptacle for a score or more of some forms 

 known to students of micro-marine life. This shows us that the powers of the microscope must 

 be employed to enable us to see them to advantage by unfolding the beauty of their structure. 

 We must not lose sight of the fact that there are several great families of Foraminifera much 



