Earth and Sky (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ...We have set the amoeba, the sponge, the hydra, and the anemone side by side to show a kind of staircase or ladder which the invisible worker Life has builded, with creatures for the steps. The next lesson shows higher steps and so more organs or instruments. Even simple eyes for seeing, feet for walking about, and nerves to warn of danger would be upward steps. XXXI. THE STARFISH AND SEA URCHIN Why should a creature whose life is mostly in the sea have such a regular, pretty shape as that of a star? If you ask me the question I shall answer it by another, "Why should it not?" Beauty is not something apart, but a best way for things. Look at the starfish and see if it is not well fitted for its life of crawling about. Think it can change its wee bit of a mind and go five different ways without turning around. At the end or tip of each arm is a little red eye which we see only when the creature is in danger. There is no need of its turning around to look. When the starfish wishes to fold its arms, or when there is food to grasp, the mouth at the center is the place to curl to, and then the star becomes a ball. On the underside of the arms are a great many little fleshy feet which push out under its thick tough skin. On the upper side the red, orange, or crimson colors make it pretty. As these creatures are higher than the others we have studied, we are not surprised that they have veins carrying blood all through the body, and nerves to help them know what is worth their while to know. Because the starfish can feel it can know danger. If you frighten it, it will draw up into a ball. If a ray gets broken another will grow. In great peril it may throw them all away and grow new ones. The sea urchin or sea egg and the rest of the animals in...