Page:The fairy tales of science.djvu/160

 organic nature? In ancient times they were doubtless regarded as sea-nymphs metamorphosed into flowers; but we fear that this opinion would have little weight in the present age of science. Expound the riddle, good naturalist, and tell us all about these animated flowers!

Well, to put an end to the reader's suspense, we will at once inform him that these magic flowers are true animals. Nor will this statement surprise him, since he has already seen what marvellous forms may be endowed with animal life. He has seen living plumes, living stars, and living umbrellas, all of which are quite as wonderful as these living flowers.

The sea-anemones are by far the most conspicuous of the wild-flowers of the deep, and we will therefore give them the precedence in our examination. If we wander about the sea-beach at low tide, we may find plenty of these creatures attached to the rocks and stones left bare by the receding waves. The commonest are those known as the smooth anemones, which seem, when out of the water, to be mere knobs of jelly. On touching them you find that they are tough and leathery, though you would never have imagined so from their appearance. These little knobs are variously coloured, but different shades of green and red are their prevailing hues.

When the sea comes up and covers the anemones