added to the market of the world within the last five years, there is no depreciation in the value of that metal: proving that the increase of commodities must have kept pace with the increase of the currency :-in other words, that a hundred millions of pounds' worth of comforts must have been added to the world's store within these years.

We must confess that we are not entirely superior to the common distaste at printed sermons. Yet who can help reading the discourses of Taylor and Barrow, Horsley and Chalmers? Occasionally, too, volumes come forth which conquer our prejudice; and of late we have met with some which even in print are so interesting that we envy the original hearers. Of these, the most life-like and speaking is Mr. Jay's "Female Characters of Scripture." Mr. Bradley has added to his series "The Trials, Duties, and Encouragements of the Christian Life,”—as lucid, as exhaustive, as evangelical in sentiment, and as charming in style, as any that went before. Mr. Bruce has produced a "Biography of Samson,” in which the giant is depicted with the mystic touches and the shadowy grandeur of Rembrandt; and if there be any fault at all, it is the fault of a hero's biographer,—excess of affection. Of Dr. Gordon's lofty intellect we have the worthy memorial in "Christ as made known to the Ancient Church: an Exposition of the Revelation of Divine Grace, as unfolded in the Old Testament Scriptures." And though nothing can reproduce the flash of an eagle's eye or the voice of a son of thunder, a work so judicious as this, so fraught with maturest wisdom, and so superior to all freaks of fancy, will be welcome to those who love the Bible already, and who wish to love it more.

LIFE, IN ITS LOWER FORMS.

No. III. (continued.)

POLYPIFERA.

LET us suppose that the buds continually put forth from the sides of the Hydra, instead of falling off to commence a new and isolated existence, remained permanently attached to the parent stock, giving forth in their turn buds, becoming permanent branches. We should then have the essential form of a compound polype; such, for example, as that of the great marine family, Sertulariada. Here we find the germ first developing a single Hydra-like polype, consisting of a slender stem or body of granular flesh, enclosing a stomachal cavity, the orifice of which is surrounded by a circle of sensitive tentacles. Soon, however, a lateral bud projects, which shoots upward and developes a similar head of tentacles, while, from the side of this, another shoot still carries up the rising stem, which assumes a plant-like condition of branching stalks, with many lateral tentacled buds. It is true that in these marine species we commonly find an additional structure, of which no trace appears in the freshwater Hydra:—the whole compound animal is enclosed in a tube of transparent substance, somewhat flexible though firm, resembling horn, an exudation from the gelatinous integument; and this tube, at every bud, takes the form of an open cell or cup (varying much in shape according to the species), into the cavity of which each individual polype-head can withdraw itself on alarm, and from the orifice of which it protrudes and expands when seeking prey.

In the accompanying Plate, the figure a represents one of the most regular of these species; and, therefore, one

whose construction is peculiarly intelligible. It is a group of the polype named Laomedea geniculata, very commonly found springing from the broad leathery leaves of the fingered tangle, Laminaria digitata, that great olive-brown sea-weed that waves its huge fronds to and fro just below the level of the lowest spring-tides. The first appearance of the polype is a slender horny thread that creeps along the surface of the leaf, adhering firmly to its surface. Presently such a tiny budding stem as we have just described springs up from the root-thread, which continues to creep on its way over the leaf, now and then bending its course at an abrupt angle, and sending up fresh stalks at regular intervals, which at length become a miniature forest. A few such stalks are represented of the natural size: and at fig. b, one of these, or at least a portion of one, is shown as it appears considerably magnified. The horny tube is seen, with its cup-like cells the body of the polype, a thread of gelatinous flesh, permeates the stem and the branches, maintaining a common life: at intervals, the polype-heads project in the manner of buds, each occupying its transparent cell, and displaying its crown of tentacles which radiate on every side. The lower cells are commonly empty, the polypeheads having died out, successively, as young ones continually shoot forth at the extremities of the branches.

At certain seasons of the year peculiar vesicles appear, which are special organs of reproduction. The analogy to a plant is maintained here also; we have already seen the development of a stem with buds, growing into twigs and branches; here we have the fruit-capsules bearing the germs of another generation.

Sometimes we find these organs few in number, seated here and there in the angle formed by the branches, or by the buds with the stalk. At other times they are very numerous, crowded together on the stalk, projecting in