“The word zoophyte,” returned Mrs. Merton, “signifies literally an animal plant; and it was formerly applied only to those singular creatures which grew in the ground like plants, and were yet furnished with tentacula or arms which they could extend or contract so as to provide themselves with food. But it is now used in a more enlarged sense, and it includes various kinds of polypes, animalcules and other animals of the lowest class. Some of these creatures seem to consist merely of semitransparent jelly, and when disturbed they contract themselves into almost shapeless lumps.” “Have I ever seen any of these animalcules?” asked Agnes. “You probably have without being aware of it,” returned her mother: “for in summer when the sun is warm they may generally be seen in ponds and slowly running waters, looking like little lumps of transparent jelly, and hanging to plants or any other object that may be in the water.” “I think I have seen them, then,” said Agnes; “but I had no idea that they were living creatures.” “And yet,” returned her mother, “if you were to take one of these jelly-like lumps, not larger than a small pea, and examine it in a powerful microscope, you would find that it possessed six or more arms, which it has the power of stretching out in an extraordinary manner, so as to seize any insect that may come in their way, and which they convey to an opening in the centre of the polypus, which serves as its mouth, and which leads directly to the stomach.” “Ah, mamma!” said Agnes, “then these creatures are polypes. I have been frequently going to ask you what kind of creatures they were, ever since papa was reading to us that curious account of the manner in which they form islands in the Australian Seas. But surely,” continued she, after thinking for a moment, “these soft jelly-like looking animals cannot possibly form any thing so hard as coral!” “It is, indeed,” replied Mrs. Merton, “extremely difficult for us to conceive that animals so simple and jelly-like can form solid stone; but the way in which it is effected is, that the creature has the power of depositing, in a solid form, the earthy matter which is continually floating in the waters of the ocean, and which it swallows with its daily food.” While Agnes and her mamma were thus speaking they continued descending the cliffs till they came to the part where the road turns, and leaves a little level space before it again descends. Just at this place they found an old woman sitting at a kind of stall covered with shells and various kinds of fossils; and Agnes, whose curiosity was always easily excited, stopped to look at them. “I wish we could find any polypes here,” said she to her mamma. “It is impossible,” said Mrs. Merton, “to find any here in a living state; but you may see some of their labours in these curious specimens of sponge.” “Sponge, mamma?” cried Agnes. “Surely you do not mean to say that the polypes form sponge as well as coral!” [Illustration: