44 
Journal of the 
field of animated flowers of most graceful shape—that of the lily— 
whose tiny petals curved and twisted, and waved themselves 
about as if in the most intense enjoyment of life. These tiny 
petals, like living threads of silver, were the expanded tentacles 
of the occupant of each cell, and were in number from sixteen to 
twenty, their motion rendering them difficult to count. Each 
tentacle was clothed with minute cilia, the rhythmic motion of 
which was well displayed under a power of fifty diameters. 
Words fail me to describe the scene. The cells were close 
together, and from each was extended the vase-like bunch of 
tentacles arranged in a circle on the lophophore or crestbearer, as 
this organ is styled. The whole was in constant motion, seeking 
food, which the currents caused by the cilia soon brought within 
their power. One or two tentacles might be noticed curling or 
gliding as if searching for some dainty, which, when obtained, was 
speedily secured by the contraction of the tentacles, when imme¬ 
diately the whole would disappear as if by magic; so quickly would 
the closed tentacles recede within the cell that the motion could 
not be discerned ; they were simply gone, how, I could not even 
guess. After a little w hile the tentacles would be gradually thrust 
out and slowly expanded to their full beauty. 
The whole field presented a busy, pleasant scene, that charmed 
beyond description. Each Polyzoon , as the animal is called, seemed 
to act independently of its neighbours; some would be fully 
extended, while others were in the safe recesses of their cells. If 
one was touched by a needle or a hair, it would instantly vanish 
without alarming the others, and when it again ventured forth, 
from the cautious manner in which it gradually expanded its 
tentacles, seeming half afraid, yet anxious, one could not avoid 
fancying the creature possessed intelligence of no mean order. 
Irregularly scattered among the cells I noticed another form of 
Polyzoon , altogether different, which I afterwards ascertained was 
a Pedecellina , a genus of Polyzoa belonging to the order 
Clenostomata. 
This Pdlyzoon is invested with a thin transparent covering so 
slight as to make the animal appear to be naked, and grows on a 
pedicle, which starts from a creeping, adnate, tubular stem. The 
tentacles are very short and curled inwards. On these the ciliary 
