a. Euplectella × 90.

b. Hyalonema mirabilis × 83.

c. Undescribed sponge × 600.

d. Halichondria Ingallii × 260.

e. Spongilla cinerea × 600.

f. Spongilla cinerea.

g. Sponge unknown.

h. Sponge unknown.

2. Australian sponge.

k. Tethea robusta x 660.

1. Tethea Ingallii × 660.

m. Hyalonema mirabilis × 175. n. Halichondria coccinea × 160. 0. Hymedesmia Johnstonii x 400. p. Halichondria variantia x 1000. q. Euplectella aspergillum × 90. r. Hymeniacidon Bucklandii × 90. Fig.

s. Ecionemia × 108.

t. Grantia × 180.

u. Halicnemia patera × 175.

v. Leuconea nivea × 660.

w. Halichondria infundibuliformis x 160.

x. Spongilla fluviatilis × 160.

v. Tethea muricata × 308.

Mostly after Bowerbank.

PLATE IV. - GORGONIA SPICULES.

Fig.

a. Gorgonia species × 300.

b. Gorgonia papillifera × 300.

c. Gorgonia crinita × 300.

d. Gorgonia species × 300.

e. Plexaura racemosa × 300.

f, g. Gorgonia vatricosa × 100.

h. Gorgonia discolor × 100.

i, k. Gorgonia exserta × 100.

1. Rhipidigorgia flabellum × 200.

m. Pterogorgia setosa × 200.

n, o. Rhipidigorgia flabellum × 200.

p. Pterogorgia setosa × 200.

q. Hymenogorgia quercifolia × 300,

r. Pterogorgia suberosa × 200.

s. Xiphigorgia setacea × 200.

t. Leptogorgia viminea × 200.

u. Lophogorgia palma × 400.

v. Juncella juncea × 150.

w. Leptogorgia Boryana × 150.

Fig.

x. Juncella juncea × 150.

y. Juncella elongata × 150.

z. Pterogorgia betulina × 150.

aa. Paramuricea placomus x 50.

ab. Variety of same × 50.

ac. Muricea echinata × 50.

ad. Muricea lima.

ae. Eunicea plantaginea × 50.

af. Primnoa verticillaris × 50.

ag. Primnoa monilis × 50.

ah. Muricea fungifera × 100,

ai. Rhipidigorgia coarctata × 100.

ak. Plexaura porosa × 100.

al. Plexaurella dichotoma × 100.

Mostly after W. Savile Kent.

TOILERS IN THE SEA.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

T may as well be confessed at once that the first

IT

suggestion of this volume was derived from a perusal of the Rev. J. G. Wood's entertaining "Homes without Hands," strengthened by the observation that he had left the "Homes" included herein practically unnoticed, and that therefore the subject was still open for treatment. In some respects the animals are not so attractive, or interesting, as those with which the above-named volume is illustrated, but the "homes" are not less remarkable, and a brief summary of their structure and architecture, with a few details of the builders, may not be less acceptable to "lovers of nature."

The objection has been made, and may be repeated, that it is not an absolutely accurate designation to write of some of these as "homes" constructed by the animals for a residence, since they are, in many cases, the skeletons of the animals [4

B

themselves, eliminated and deposited as the bones are built up in mammals. We are not disposed to insist strongly on the absolute meaning of terms, and are content to adopt a popular view, as most suitable to our purpose, and in a broad sense to accept these structures, in and about which the animals reside, as their homes, whether they are wholly located within them, or partially enclose them with their own flesh.

At first we had designed to confine ourselves absolutely to such animals as lived in communities, as for instance the coral-makers, the sea fanmakers, the animals which inhabit sponges, sea-mats, and those known at one time more particularly as zoophytes, but now more specially as Hydroid zoophytes, but by this arrangement we should have excluded those minute, but widely diffused, animals which construct those marvellous little shells known to every microscopist as Foraminifera and Polycystina. This would so much have diminished the value of our volume in the estimation of those for whom it was most of all designed, that the resolution was taken to widen the original scope so as to include all the minute marine animals which construct for themselves a permanent home. For whom, then, do we suppose that we are writing? it may be inquired, and for the information of those who are not leaving this chapter to be the last that is