brance of her pious and holy habits ultimately proved the means of reclaiming them from the paths of error and sin. But to this subject I shall again revert in my reminiscences of my aunt and her household. For the present, I will close, by saying, that she habitually walked with God. She was "in the fear of the Lord all the day long." She as naturally fled to the word of God, and the throne of grace, for directions, counsel, support, and consolation, as the doves flock to their windows. Every thing was with her a matter of principle and of prayer. "Is it right that I should do it? If not, let me instantly abandon it, however seemingly desirable. If it be right, let me fearlessly attempt, and steadily prosecute it, however arduous. Teach me to do thy will, O my God. Let thy strength be made perfect in my weakness. Let me be a partaker of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Let me bear the mark of being His, by the impress of the Holy Spirit; and in all I do let me glorify God. Let me not live to myself, but to Him who died for me, and rose again. Let me be entirely His, living, dying, and for ever." C. NEW RAILWAY SIGNALS. A NEW System of signals for railroads has been invented by Mr. Hall, intended to supersede the red and white flags now carried and exhibited by policemen at certain distances. The new signal, which Mr. Hall calls the "panel or fan signal," has, when put in operation, the appearance of an upright post, of about twelve feet high, surmounted by a piece of wood-work, resembling in shape that of a closed fan. Where they both join is a strong iron framework. In the upper wood-work three panels are encased, which are worked by machinery, and, when brought down to the iron framework before described, assume the appearance of a crimson quadrant, of a span sufficient to be visible in a straight line for two miles. When a train is due to start, the three panels are lowered. As soon as it has started and reached the signal, the man in charge of it sets in motion a piece of machinery, which gradually works up the three panels in fifteen minutes, and the signal at the end of that time presents its original appearance. By this arrangement, engine-drivers will be able accurately to calculate the time which has elapsed since a train has passed; one panel indicating five minutes, two ten, and three a quarter of an hour. The new signal will, in a few days, be put in operation on the Eastern Counties Railway.-Times. SPONGES AND ZOOPHYTES.-No. IV. WE shall now pass to the compound tubular zoophytes, animals inclosed in a calcareous, or horny tube, and consequently differing materially from the group, to which we have hitherto invited attention. Our first example is the beautiful Tubipora musica, (so called from its resembling a cluster of organ pipes in miniature) a native of the Indian sea. Though the fine red tubes of this zoophyte are compacted together, often closely, and secured by transverse floors, or stages, whereon one set of pipes opens above another, the animals inhabiting them appear to be distinct from each other; that is, they are not vitally united together, but merely build up a sort of town, the result of their combined labours, each constructing its own tubular domicile. From the open end of each tube issues a little membranous polype, of a grass-green colour, with eight leaflike tion of the margin of the hard tube, into which protrudes the polype, with two which it is reflected as a fine lining, extending to where a calcareous interruption bounds the residence of the zoophyte. The calcareous tube is indeed itself produced by a gradual petrification of the membrane itself as it rises: when this membrane attains a certain elevation, its funnel-shaped edge expands horizontally, and doubling itself, forms, by the deposition of calcareous particles in its substance, a stage composed of two plates soldered together. As all the polypes act in the same manner, at the same time, and upon the same plane, the stages are produced which bind the bundles together; for the margins of the extended membrane of each polype meet and coalesce. This being effected, the polype increases, and the lining tissue rising, continues the cone-like orifice of the tube. From the base of the tentacula extend eight filaments, running through the tube, and attached to its lining membrane. On these the germs of the future race are attached by a neck or stalk, like minute eggs. How they are expelled, whether during the polype's life or not; and how they cluster together and form bundles of pipes upon the old ones, or in new situations, are points utterly unknown. The limestone rocks of Derbyshire abound with fossil tubipora. Few have visited the sea, who have not picked up, on the beach, zoophytes attached to shells and stones, which they have regarded, but erroneously, as belonging to the tribe of sea-weeds, and consequently as vegetable productions. Delicate in structure, and elegant in form, they spread, in a frondescent manner, and their wavy branches are adorned with miniature vases, and cups of various patterns. They excel, indeed, all other zoophytes in gracefulness, and an examination of them cannot fail to please. The numerous genera into which these zoophytes, with flexible stems and branches, inclosing a living thread are divided, range themselves under two groups, or sections, namely, Tubulariæ and Sertulariæ. In the Tubularia we are presented with simple, or branched horny tubes, from the open extremities of which the polypes emerge and expand their tentacula. One species, (see the figure,) the Tubularia indivisa, found on our shores, resembles a portion of straw, two or three inches in length, from the orifice of Tubularia indivisa. circlets of tentacles, one immediately surrounding the mouth, the other circlet lower down, and near a second aperture or mouth communicating with the body enclosed in the tube. The space between these two circlets is perpetually changing its form, being alternately distended with some fluid, and alternately contracted. It is remarkable that the head, or polype of this zoophyte, is deciduous. the head falls off, or perishes; if, howWhen specimens are taken from the sea, ever, the animals be kept in their congenial fluid, a new head is gradually reproduced from the pulp within the sheath. The head is also reproduced when the stem is cut into two parts, and thus the creature may be multiplied. To this sec Tibiana fasciculala. tion belongs the genus Tibiana; the tubes are zigzag, and at each angle is a little projection, with an orifice for the protrusion of the polypes, as in the sketch. In the مروج Campanularia urnigera, showing three polype cells and an egg vesicle. genus Campanularia, the stem is branched, the ends of the branches assuming 4 figures, which represent a portion of the Thuiaria articulata, and a portion magnified, showing the egg vesicles, and the polype cells. The tubes of these zoophytes, whether of the Tubularia or Sertulariæ, are formed by the hardening of the tegumentary membrane of the living pulp; and hence we can easily conceive how it comes to pass, that in the sertulariæ we find the stems and branches so often covered with egg vesicles larger than the cells, and clustered together. In the vesicles are developed the gemmules of a succeeding race. When mature, they escape by a disruption of the top, or falling off of a lid; after this, the vesicles wither and disappear. The gemmules, on their escape from the vesicle, are provided with minute The above sketches represent the cilia; they row themselves about, and ulSertularia Margarita, Hassall, and a timately fix upon a congenial site, throwmagnified portion, together with a sketching out root-like fibres, after the manner Sertularia pumila. of a plant, in order to fix themselves | sected by fibrous bands, and sometimes securely. They then push up a shoot, with calcareous spiculæ dispersed through the commencement of the future stem; its substance. The forms assumed by the polypes and polype-cells are evolved on different species are very various; but its sides; branches are given off, and a all are fixed on other substances, as stones cluster of living polypes, connected by a and shells. The upper surface is dotted living thread, constitute a family whose with cells, in which the polypes reside, and objects and interests are identical, and when they are all protruded, they cover whose workings are all regulated by one the common pulpy mass with clusters of harmonious instinct. flowers, or stars. From the cavity of the stomach of a polype of Cydonium, (of which a single one is here represented, removed from the mass, and magnified,) The growth of these beautiful zoophytes is extremely rapid, and their duration often short. Some appear to have but a summer's existence; many are probably annual; and those which attach themselves to sea-weeds cannot prolong their existence beyond that of the frond to which they are affixed. But those which root themselves upon rocks, stones, and shells, are doubtless less perishable, and may, perhaps, continue for several years to develope new branches and new polypes. Of the cartilaginous compound polypifera, the genera Alcyonium, Tethya, and Cydonium, afford examples. The annexed figures represent the Alcyonium Alcyonium hirsutum, natural size, on a shell. Alcyonium hirsutum magnified. hirsutum, of the natural size, and magnified. In these beings, we are presented with a semi-cartilaginous mass, inter mass; Polype of Cydonium. each of these polypes extends a tube, conveying nutriment to the general a tubular filament also opens into the stomach; this filament contains the gemmules of a future progeny. When mature, they pass from the tube into the digestive cavity of the parent polype, and thence through the oral orifice into the sea. Though these polypes and the common mass participate in one common life, as far as nutrition is concerned, yet there appears to be no community of feeling between the polypes, for they expand and contract independently of each other. When one is rudely touched, it withdraws itself; but the rest remain unaffected. Local injury, on one portion of the general mass, seems to be unperceived, or unfelt at a remote portion; but a general shock being given, the whole mass, and the polypes, contract together. Highest among the polypifera, in the scale of organization, are the fleshy polypes, namely, the Actiniæ, or sea anemonies. The actinia consists of a soft fleshy cylindrical body, the base of which acting as a sucker, enables the animal to adhere to rocks, stones, and pebbles. The opposite extremity presents a striated disc with a central oral orifice, and is surrounded by a tentacula, either in a single row, and adorned by enlargements, covered with minute suckers, as in Actinia alcyonoidea, from the South Pacific, or by two or more rows of simple tubular | ways encountered in the same places; tentacula, as in A. senilis and equina, of our own shores. These tentacula are capable of being expanded, contracted, and moved in every direction. They are the arms by which the animal seizes its prey, and drags it to the mouth. When fully expanded, while the creature waits for its victim, they present a most beautiful flower-like appearance, increased by the fine colours which they usually exhibit. In the actiniæ, for the first time in the present class, we recognize distinct muscular fibres, giving to the body the power of contraction and expansion, and even locomotion. It is not only on being touched that these creatures contract; so extreme is their sensibility, that a dark cloud passing over the sky, is sufficient to make them draw in all their tentacles; and the actinia senilis will, at once, bury itself in the sand on the approach of an intruder. and they are very jealous of interlopers, 66 We shall not repeat our details of the general structure of these animals, which will be found in the Visitor for 1840, pages 254-5, and to which we refer our reader. Closely allied to the genus Actinia is that termed Zoanthus: the polypes, indeed, essentially resemble the actini; but they are united together upon a common base. Hence they are less independent, individually, than the actiniæ. If our reader will review the course of our observations, he will find that, proceeding through a series of forms, from the sponges to the highest of the polypifera, namely, the sea anemonies, or actiniæ, an increase in the development of organic structure characterizes the successive links of the chain. To complete our sketch, however, we must briefly notice a group of polype-bearing animals, which, in the structure of their frame, rise still higher than the actiniæ, and which, though formerly placed by natural-burgh railway, a grand dinner was given Ar the recent opening of the Strasists with the ordinary zoophytes, are now with justice removed, and form a distinct section of a higher sub-kingdom (mematoneura) than the acrita. We refer to the "Polypes à Cellules," of Cuvier; the "Bryozoa," of Ehrenberg.-M. CHARACTERISTICS OF IRISH BEGGARS. The beggars in the various towns have their distinctive characters, and they differ essentially from those who beg in the country. In the towns it is usually a "profession;" the same faces are al ANCIENT AND MODERN TRAVELLING. on the occasion. Among a number of appropriate inscriptions on the walls of the room was the following:-" In 1500, the journey from Mulhausen to Strasburgh occupied eight days; in 1600, six days; in 1700, four days; in 1800, two days; in 1841, two hours!" SATAN'S EMPIRE. THE empire exercised by Satan over mankind is to be regarded, not as the power of a prince, but as that of an executioner. Charnock. |