Let us see if there are any hard names here that want explaining before we go any further. The first we stumble upon is _Colossus_, which comes from the Latin, and means a great image or statue, like that which ancient historians tell us once bestrode the entrance to the harbour of Rhodes. _Embryo_ comes from the Greek, and means something small and unfinished, that is to expand or grow into a more perfect form, as the seed into a plant. _Animalculæ_, are minute or very small animals, such as cannot be distinguished without the help of a microscope, hence they are sometimes called microscopic animals; this word comes from the Latin _animalis_, which means having life. _Phosphoric_ signifies luminous, or giving out light. The Greek name of the morning star is _Phospha_. In Latin, _Phosphorus_ is a term applied to a substance which chemists extract from bones and other animal matter, and which, when exposed to air, burns with a pale blue light, like that emitted by the glow-worm. Many of the oceanic or sea animalculæ are exceedingly phosphorescent, so that by night, the waves appear like billows of flame. Of this luminosity of the ocean, as it is termed, we shall have to speak on another occasion. We will now return to the Oyster, who, it will be seen, is by no means so solitary in his bivalve palace as might be supposed. He has his torch-bearers, and other attendants, quite a host of them, no doubt magnificently dressed, if we could but see them to advantage, and well instructed in the several duties which they have to perform. Oh yes, certainly, as the Irish poet has said, “Of all the Conchiferous shell-fish, The Oyster _is_ surely the King;” Shall we continue the quotation? and say “Arrah Mick, call the people who sell fish, And tell them a dozen to bring: For it’s I that intend to demonstrate, The creature’s phenomena strange, Its functions to set every one straight, And exhibit their structure and range.” Scarcely will our limited space permit us to do this, but a few of the most remarkable particulars about this common Acephalan, we feel called upon to set before our readers.