no man has seen.

EXERCISES

1. In what ways is the Sea-horse so different from most other fish? 2.
In what ways are the Sea-horse and Pipe-fish alike? 3. How does the
Angler-fish catch its prey? 4. Mention a few strange facts about the
deep-sea fish.

LESSON XI

THE GARDEN OF THE SEA

For many centuries men were puzzled over those strange growths in the
sea--Corals and Sponges. Were they to be classed as animals or as
vegetables? It was by no means an easy question to answer.

Corals, with their pretty colour, and their stems and branches growing
up from the sea-bed, were said to be shrubs, but they were as hard as
rock, said some people, so how could they be vegetables? The reply to
this was, that the Coral became hard as soon as it reached the air.
Then, of course, it was found that Coral was as hard under water as
above it, and the question was still unanswered.

Sponges, too, were thought to be sea-plants for many, many years; though
some people even said that they must really be made of hardened
sea-foam! The Sponge took its place in the vegetable kingdom, then it
was moved to the animal kingdom, and back again.

This went on for long years. Then, by careful watching, it was found
that the Sponge is an animal. True, it is a very lowly member of the
great kingdom of animals, yet it is one, and not a plant.

Like all other animals, the Sponge animal must eat, and its way of doing
so is rather strange. If you look at any ordinary washing-sponge, you
notice a great many very small openings and some larger ones amongst
them. It is through the smaller holes, or pores, that the Sponge gets
its supply of food. When it is alive, and in its own home, there is a
current of water always passing through its and the Sponge depends on
the food which the water brings. Now, if you could watch this
water-current, you would see that it rushes into some of the holes, and
out of others; it has a certain path to follow. It enters the small
pores, or openings, of the Sponge, and goes along narrow canals, and is
then led into larger ones. Finally, it rushes out again through those
large openings we noticed. We may compare it with traffic coming into a
city by many narrow streets, then passing into broader roads, and at
last out again by big main roads.

[Illustration: CUPS AND SOLID SPONGES]

[Illustration: _Photo: A. F. Dauncey_. SEA FURZE]

How does the Sponge animal cause this current; and how is it made to
foll