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authors whose works I then recommended。 I recommend them still；
though a swarm of other manuals and popular works have appeared
since； excellent in their way； and almost beyond counting。 But all
honour to those； and above all to Mr。 Gosse and Mr。 Johns； who
first opened people's eyes to the wonders around them all day long。
Now； we have； in addition to amusing books on special subjects；
serials on Natural History more or less profound； and suited to
every kind of student and every grade of knowledge。 I mention the
names of none。 For first； they happily need no advertisement from
me； and next； I fear to be unjust to any one of them by
inadvertently omitting its name。 Let me add； that in the
advertising columns of those serials； will be found notices of all
the new manuals； and of all apparatus； and other matters； needed by
amateur naturalists； and of many who are more than amateurs。
Microscopy； meanwhile； and the whole study of 〃The Wonders of the
Little；〃 have made vast strides in the last twenty years； and I was
equally surprised and pleased； to find； three years ago； in each of
two towns of a few thousand inhabitants； perhaps a dozen good
microscopes； all but hidden away from the public； worked by men who
knew how to handle them； and who knew what they were looking at；
but who modestly refrained from telling anybody what they were
doing so well。 And it was this very discovery of unsuspected
microscopists which made me more desirous than ever to see … as I
see now in many places … scientific societies； by means of which
the few； who otherwise would work apart； may communicate their
knowledge to each other； and to the many。 These 〃Microscopic；〃
〃Naturalist；〃 〃Geological；〃 or other societies； and the 〃Field
Clubs〃 for excursions into the country； which are usually connected
with them； form a most pleasant and hopeful new feature in English
Society； bringing together； as they do； almost all ranks； all
shades of opinion； and it has given me deep pleasure to see； in the
case at least of the Country Clubs with which I am acquainted； the
clergy of the Church of England taking an active； and often a
leading； interest in their practical work。 The town clergy are；
for the most part； too utterly overworked to follow the example of
their country brethren。 But I have reason to know that they regard
such societies； and Natural History in general； with no unfriendly
eyes； and that there is less fear than ever that the clergy of the
Church of England should have to relinquish their ancient boast …
that since the formation of the Royal Society in the seventeenth
century； they have done more for sound physical science than any
other priesthood or ministry in the world。 Let me advise anyone
who may do me the honour of reading these pages； to discover
whether such a Club or Society exists in his neighbourhood； and to
join it forthwith； certain that … if his experience be at all like
mine … he will gain most pleasant information and most pleasant
acquaintances； and pass most pleasant days and evenings； among
people whom he will be glad to know； and whom he never would have
known save for the new … and now； I hope； rapidly spreading …
freemasonry of Natural History。
Meanwhile； I hope … though I dare not say I trust … to see the day
when the boys of each of our large schools shall join … like those
of Marlborough and Clifton … the same freemasonry； and have their
own Naturalists' Clubs； nay more； when our public schools and
universities shall awake to the real needs of the age； and … even
to the curtailing of the time usually spent in not learning Latin
and Greek … teach boys the rudiments at least of botany； zoology；
geology； and so forth； and when the public opinion； at least of the
refined and educated； shall consider it as ludicrous … to use no
stronger word … to be ignorant of the commonest facts and laws of
this living planet； as to be ignorant of the rudiments of two dead
languages。 All honour to the said two languages。 Ignorance of
them is a serious weakness； for it implies ignorance of many things
else； and indeed； without some knowledge of them； the nomenclature
of the physical sciences cannot be mastered。 But I have got to
discover that a boy's time is more usefully spent； and his
intellect more methodically trained； by getting up Ovid's Fasti
with an ulterior hope of being able to write a few Latin verses；
than in getting up Professor Rolleston's 〃Forms of Animal Life；〃 or
any other of the excellent Scientific Manuals for beginners； which
are now； as I said； happily so numerous。
May that day soon come； and an old dream of mine； and of my
scientific friends； be fulfilled at last。
And so I end this little book； hoping； even praying； that it may
encourage a few more labourers to go forth into a vineyard； which
those who have toiled in it know to be full of ever…fresh health；
and wonder and simple joy； and the presence and the glory of Him
whose name is LOVE。
APPENDIX。
PLATE I。
ZOOPHYTA。 POLYZOA。
THE forms of animal life which are now united in an independent
class； under the name Polyzoa； so nearly resemble the Hydroid
Zoophytes in general form and appearance that a casual observer may
suppose them to be nearly identical。 In all but the more recent
works； they are treated as distinct indeed； but still included
under the general term 〃ZOOPHYTES。〃 The animals of both groups are
minute； polypiform creatures； mostly living in transparent cells；
springing from the sides of a stem which unites a number of
individuals in one common life； and grows in a shrub…like form upon
any submarine body； such as a shell； a rock； a weed； or even
another polypidom to which it is parasitically attached。 Each
polype； in both classes； protrudes from and retreats within its
cell by an independent action； and when protruded puts forth a
circle of tentacles whose motion round the mouth is the means of
securing nourishment。 There are； however； peculiarities in the
structure of the Polyzoa which seem to remove them from
Zoophytology to a place in the system of nature more nearly
connected with Molluscan types。 Some of them come so near to the
compound ascidians that they have been termed； as an order；
〃Zoophyta ascidioida。〃
The simplest form of polype is that of a fleshy bag open at one
end； surmounted by a circle of contractile threads or fingers
called tentacles。 The plate shows； on a very minute scale； at
figs。 1； 3； and 6； several of these little polypiform bodies
protruding from their cells。 But the Hydra or Fresh…water Polype
has no cell； and is quite unconnected with any root thread； or with
other individuals of the same species。 It is perfectly free； and
so simple in its structure； that when the sac which forms its body
is turned inside out it will continue to perform the functions of
life as before。 The greater part； however； of these Hydraform
Polypes； although equally simple as individuals； are connected in a
compound life by means of their variously formed POLYPIDOM； as the
branched system of cells is termed。 The Hydroid Zoophytes are
represented in the first plate by the following examples。
HYDROIDA。
SERTULARIA ROSEA。 PL。 I。 FIG。 6。
A species which has the cells in pairs on opposite sides of the
central tube； with the openings turned outwards。 In the more
enlarged figure is seen a septum across the inner part of each cell
which forms the base upon which the polype rests。 Fig。 6 B
indicates the natural size of the piece of branch represented； but
it must be remembered that this is only a small portion of the
bushy shrub。
CAMPANULARIA SYRINGA。 PL。 I。 FIG。 8。
This Zoophyte twines itself parasitically upon a species of
Sertularia。 The cells in this species are thrown out at irregular
intervals upon flexible stems which are wrinkled in rings。 They
consist of lengthened； cylindrical； transparent vases。
CAMPANULARIA VOLUBILIS。 PL。 I。 FIG。 9。
A still more beautiful species； with lengthened foot…stalks ringed
at each end。 The polype is remarkable for the protrusion and
contractile power of its lips。 It has about twenty knobbed
tentacula。
POLYZOA。
Among Polyzoa the animal's body is coated with a membraneous
covering； like that of the Tunicated Mollusca； but which is a
continuation of the edge of the cell； which doubles back upon the
body in such a manner that when the animal protrudes from its cell
it pushes out the flexible membrane just as one would turn inside
out the finger of a glove。 This oneness of cell and polype is a
distinctive character of the group。 Another is the higher
organization of the internal parts。 The mouth； surrounded by
tentacles； leads by gullet an