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catch every passing animalcule； and sweep them into the jaws
concealed within its shell。 And this creature； rooted to one spot
through life and death； was in its infancy a free swimming animal；
hovering from place to place upon delicate ciliae； till； having
sown its wild oats； it settled down in life； built itself a good
stone house； and became a landowner； or rather a glebae adscriptus；
for ever and a day。 Mysterious destiny！ … yet not so mysterious as
that of the free medusoid young of every polype and coral； which
ends as a rooted tree of horn or stone； and seems to the eye of
sensuous fancy to have literally degenerated into a vegetable。 Of
them you must read for yourself in Mr。 Gosse's book； in the
meanwhile he shall tell you something of the beautiful Madrepores
themselves。 His description； （10） by far the best yet published；
should be read in full； we must content ourselves with extracts。
〃Doubtless you are familiar with the stony skeleton of our
Madrepore； as it appears in museums。 It consists of a number of
thin calcareous plates standing up edgewise； and arranged in a
radiating manner round a low centre。 A little below the margin
their individuality is lost in the deposition of rough calcareous
matter。 。 。 。 The general form is more or less cylindrical；
commonly wider at top than just above the bottom。 。 。 。 This is but
the skeleton； and though it is a very pretty object； those who are
acquainted with it alone； can form but a very poor idea of the
beauty of the living animal。 。 。 。 Let it； after being torn from
the rock； recover its equanimity； then you will see a pellucid
gelatinous flesh emerging from between the plates； and little
exquisitely formed and coloured tentacula； with white clubbed tips
fringing the sides of the cup…shaped cavity in the centre； across
which stretches the oval disc marked with a star of some rich and
brilliant colour； surrounding the central mouth； a slit with white
crenated lips； like the orifice of one of those elegant cowry
shells which we put upon our mantelpieces。 The mouth is always
more or less prominent； and can be protruded and expanded to an
astonishing extent。 The space surrounding the lips is commonly
fawn colour； or rich chestnut…brown； the star or vandyked circle
rich red； pale vermilion； and sometimes the most brilliant emerald
green； as brilliant as the gorget of a humming…bird。〃
And what does this exquisitely delicate creature do with its pretty
mouth？ Alas for fact！ It sips no honey…dew； or fruits from
paradise。 … 〃I put a minute spider； as large as a pin's head； into
the water； pushing it down to the coral。 The instant it touched
the tip of a tentacle； it adhered； and was drawn in with the
surrounding tentacles between the plates。 With a lens I saw the
small mouth slowly open； and move over to that side； the lips
gaping unsymmetrically； while with a movement as imperceptible as
that of the hour hand of a watch； the tiny prey was carried along
between the plates to the corner of the mouth。 The mouth； however；
moved most； and at length reached the edges of the plates；
gradually closed upon the insect； and then returned to its usual
place in the centre。〃
Mr。 Gosse next tried the fairy of the walking mouth with a house…
fly； who escaped only by hard fighting； and at last the gentle
creature； after swallowing and disgorging various large pieces of
shell…fish； found viands to its taste in 〃the lean of cooked meat
and portions of earthworms；〃 filling up the intervals by a
perpetual dessert of microscopic animalcules； whirled into that
lovely avernus； its mouth； by the currents of the delicate ciliae
which clothe every tentacle。 The fact is； that the Madrepore； like
those glorious sea…anemones whose living flowers stud every pool；
is by profession a scavenger and a feeder on carrion； and being as
useful as he is beautiful； really comes under the rule which he
seems at first to break； that handsome is who handsome does。
Another species of Madrepore （11） was discovered on our Devon coast
by Mr。 Gosse； more gaudy； though not so delicate in hue as our
Caryophyllia。 Mr。 Gosse's locality； for this and numberless other
curiosities； is Ilfracombe； on the north coast of Devon。 My
specimens came from Lundy Island； in the mouth of the Bristol
Channel； or more properly from that curious 〃Rat Island〃 to the
south of it； where still lingers the black long…tailed English rat；
exterminated everywhere else by his sturdier brown cousin of the
Hanoverian dynasty。
Look； now； at these tiny saucers of the thinnest ivory； the largest
not bigger than a silver threepence； which contain in their centres
a milk…white crust of stone； pierced； as you see under the
magnifier； into a thousand cells； each with its living architect
within。 Here are two kinds： in one the tubular cells radiate from
the centre； giving it the appearance of a tiny compound flower；
daisy or groundsel； in the other they are crossed with waving
grooves； giving the whole a peculiar fretted look； even more
beautiful than that of the former species。 They are Tubulipora
patina and Tubulipora hispida； … and stay … break off that tiny
rough red wart； and look at its cells also under the magnifier： it
is Cellepora pumicosa； and now； with the Madrepore； you hold in
your hand the principal； at least the commonest； British types of
those famed coral insects； which in the tropics are the architects
of continents； and the conquerors of the ocean surge。 All the
world； since the publication of Darwin's delightful 〃Voyage of the
Beagle；〃' and of Williams' 〃Missionary Enterprises；〃 knows； or
ought to know； enough about them： for those who do not； there are
a few pages in the beginning of Dr。 Landsborough's 〃British
Zoophytes；〃 well worth perusal。
There are a few other true cellepore corals round the coast。 The
largest of all； Cervicornis； may be dredged a few miles outside on
the Exmouth bank； with a few more Tubulipores： but all tiny
things； the lingering and； as it were； expiring remnants of that
great coral…world which； through the abysmal depths of past ages；
formed here in Britain our limestone hills； storing up for
generations yet unborn the materials of agriculture and
architecture。 Inexpressibly interesting； even solemn； to those who
will think； is the sight of those puny parasites which； as it were；
connect the ages and the aeons： yet not so solemn and full of
meaning as that tiny relic of an older world； the little pear…
shaped Turbinolia （cousin of the Madrepores and Sea…anemones）；
found fossil in the Suffolk Crag； and yet still lingering here and
there alive in the deep water of Scilly and the west coast of
Ireland； possessor of a pedigree which dates； perhaps； from ages
before the day in which it was said； 〃Let us make man in our image；
after our likeness。〃 To think that the whole human race； its joys
and its sorrows； its virtues and its sins； its aspirations and its
failures； has been rushing out of eternity and into eternity again；
as Arjoon in the Bhagavad Gita beheld the race of men issuing from
Kreeshna's flaming mouth； and swallowed up in it again； 〃as the
crowds of insects swarm into the flame； as the homeless streams
leap down into the ocean bed；〃 in an everlasting heart…pulse whose
blood is living souls … and all that while； and ages before that
mystery began； that humble coral； unnoticed on the dark sea…floor；
has been 〃continuing as it was at the beginning；〃 and fulfilling
〃the law which cannot be broken；〃 while races and dynasties and
generations have been
〃Playing such fantastic tricks before high heaven；
As make the angels weep。〃
Yes； it is this vision of the awful permanence and perfection of
the natural world； beside the wild flux and confusion； the mad
struggles； the despairing cries of the world of spirits which man
has defiled by sin； which would at moments crush the naturalist's
heart； and make his brain swim with terror； were it not that he can
see by faith； through all the abysses and the ages； not merely
〃 Hands；
From out the darkness； shaping man；〃
but above them a living loving countenance； human and yet Divine；
and can hear a voice which said at first； 〃Let us make man in our
image；〃 and hath said since then； and says for ever and for ever；
〃Lo； I am with you alway； even to the end of the world。〃
But now； friend； who listenest； perhaps instructed； and at least
amused … if； as Professor Harvey well says； the simpler animals
represent； as in a glass； the scattered organs of the higher races；
which of your organs is represented by that 〃sca'd man's head；〃
which the Devon children more gracefully； yet with less adherence
to plain likeness； call 〃mermaid's head；〃 （12） which we picked up
just now on Paignton San