Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-29

The third lecture of the season, and the
first one of the regular course upon the class
of insects, was delivered on the evening of
the 2lst inst. 1t was highly interesting The
attendance was good. For present purposes,
the lecturer, Mr.. o. E. Randall, made five
grand divisions of the animal kingdom. Man,
of course, is placed at the head of this
kingdom. The lowest class was the infusoria,
the class for special attention. 1t was stated
by the lecturer that just where the line of
division may be drawn between the animal
and the vegetable kingdom no man knows.
These two kingdoms converge, as it were, to
one point that point being a simple cell, and
within that cell attached to its wall or cover
ing was a nucleus. Large plants and animals
are nothing more than an aggregation of cells
with thickened walls. Blue mold is a forest of
little plants, and likewise is common yeast
used in making bread. From the angle
worm may be obtained a little animal called
parasite. 1t has life but not motion. Mo-
ton is not, however, always a sign of animal
life, neither is sensitiveness. Witness, Venus
Fly Trap plant that has motion. 1t catches
flies and kills them. The sensitive plant con-
tracts at the touch of the hand. Myriads of
animalcul@ are found in stagnant, but not in
pure spring or well water. The microscope
shows them to be very curious little animals
They are all mouth, and have no stomach or
digestive cavity. Arms are extended from
any part of their bodies to receive food and
retracted again. Their food is put into their
bodies just as you might put raisins into q
lump of dough- The sea has its microscopic
animals that form an important element in
the worlds structure. The great chalk cliffs
of England are, like coral reefs, built of little
animal remains. In brooks is found minute
animal that has body in shape like a cylin-
der or section of stove-pipe. One end is the
base on which it rests, the other forms a
mouth surrounded with ella, OF lashes, at the
end of which are sacks containing coils with
which it lassoes particles of food that pass
within its reach. The sponge is shown to be
an animal, and not plant growth, as many
suppose Another beautiful illustration of Gu
rious animal life is the sea anemone, or sea
flower, as sailors often call it. 1t stands up
right, and its form is cylindrical. The head
or mouth is surrounded with ella resembling
the fringe on some plants, aud when expand
ed looks like plant in bloom. 1t can ex-
pand or contract its body. At times it is
quite large, then again quite small, nothing
but grease spot as the sailors term it. II
has gormandizing disposition and strong
vitality Many stories are told of its castro
nomical powers. One scientific man relatei
that large sea anemone swallowed, aftel
great effort, mollusk or shell-fsh the size
of saucer, but could not reject it from the
stomach, because its body, which was much
smaller than the shell-fsh, was distended
giving it the shape of two cones Joined a
their bases. The anemOne, however, wa'
equal to the emergency. Not desiring to give
up the ghost simply because it could not ex
pei the mollusk it reversed its position
New ella or lashes were formed, and so the
pluclsy anemone had two mouths and double
base for future operations. D. L. NJ