3oo LIFE AND HER CHILDREN. 
and glimmerings of intelligence to the prickly-skinned 
animals than to the floating jelly, driven hither and 
thither by the currents of the sea. In fact these 
creatures stand at the head of a small but peculiar 
branch of life's children, while we have had to travel 
along another road to reach higher intelligence. 
This road led us from the oyster, so low in percep- 
tion, yet so perfect in his internal mechanism, through 
a long chain of beings to the cunning octopus and 
cuttle-fish. Here we have the quick eye, the rapid 
movement, and the power of adapting things to the 
benefit of the animal, as when the little Sepiola blows 
a hole in the sand and arranges the stones round 
his body ; we have the quick instinct of self-defence 
directing the inky fluid against an enemy, the capa- 
city for changing colour for protection or attack, and 
the maternal care of the eggs. In a word, w r e arrive 
here at the head of one great division specially 
adapted for marine life, though some of its forms 
gain a footing upon the land. Still this division is 
incapable, so far as we can see, of advancing into 
successful competition with yet higher forms which, 
arising in the dim past almost from the same centre 
as these mollusca, have branched out on sea and 
land into crustaceans and insects. We need scarcely 
follow this branch through its ramifications, for the 
past chapters have shown the gradual progress of 
intelligence accompanying concentration of nervous 
power till we arrive at foresight, prudence, and or- 
ganisation among the ants. 
Still we must feel that something is wanting, and 
that something is mutual sympathy and help between 
any two beings, independently of mere duty as citi- 
