Living Jewels (1936)

[Music] la [Applause] [Music] [Music] for millions of years these Breakers have incessantly battered away at an everchanging Shoreline living in the perpetual motion of the Insurgent surf are thousands of creatures that withstand the angry forces of the Rolling water animals most often associated with the sea are the common fish seen swimming leisurely within the depth there is the Cowardly shark stealthily stalking its prey and the wolfish with its ugly facial expression as it waits to pounce upon some unsuspecting Crawling Crab although less conspicuous there are other innumerable denisons that abound on the ocean's floor great Gardens of sedentary creatures sea anemon as they are known comprise a large group of simple animals they possess form Symmetry and the usual life process CES associated with lower forms a panoramic Journey along the rocky Shore reveals a multitude of extraordinary specimens some are extended like beautiful flowers in bloom others are folded in upon themselves presenting a less attractive exterior there are infinite varieties of these creatures distributed throughout the oceans of the world some species borrow deep in the sand and project only their tentacles to entrap some passing animal when contracted the C anemon appears to be merely a clump of dull material only when it unfolds is its true beauty revealed as fish Glide among the rocks unaware of danger and accidentally touch the flowerlike growths immediately the tentacles are brought into play the Apparently beautiful petals become stinging paralyzing weapons discharging thousands of to P like projecs into the body of its victim our object of beauty becomes in reality a voracious feeder that eats its victims alive contrasted to the viciousness of the cemon is a growth that resembles a mass of Rocky spines but on closer inspection it is found to be a colonial form of animal composed of hundreds of individuals living in harmonious Association each one projects a mouth surrounded with a multitude of silvery tentacles with which to snatch some microscopic [Music] animal these are related to the C anemon but have the power of secreting carbonate of lime to form a hardened case in which to live from this secretion Coral is formed and after thousands of years of growth these animals have given rise to the great reefs and apples or islands of the South Pacific Ocean contributing also to the formation of coral islands are other kinds of animals known as sea moss they are lifeless and unattractive to the uned eye but through a powerful microscope they present a starling picture millions of these animals aggregate to form great growth which in many cases weigh hundreds of pounds their form and Grace may be appreciated as each individual of The Colony Projects a wall of tentacles to seek its pray then if in danger to dot back into its shell again little would they be recognized as being living animals when as a whole they present themselves as an inanimate Fern likee [Music] tree the opinion that all worms are crawling creeping things is proven wrong as this unique tube worm slowly extends its tentacles into the surrounding sea like a giant volcano in eruption the black Laval likee tentacles shoot upward then descend as a mass of falling Bolten rock this colorful animal also lives within a tube and extends numerous sparkling tentacles that radiate a phosphorescence which beautifies and colors the water the door at the exterior of the animal shell is composed of eggs embedded in a case if danger threatens the worm smoothly Retreats behind the safety of a closed and locked [Music] door of all the delicate creatures existing the most striking and bizarre is the sea brooch composed of hundreds of swaying animals living as a colony it appears as if studded with innumerable bar colored Jewel in iridescent Grandeur it sways in the currents and slowly moves in a series of graceful undulations related to the SE roach is an odd group of plant-like animals that grow from the oceans floor this fragile individual is the parent of a small jellyfish extending from around the animal's mouth are numerous Bud life GRS these are its young when grown own they will break off and swim freely about in the sea as jellyfish in due time the latter will fasten themselves to fixed objects and after months of growth we'll reach [Music] maturity this object resembling a translucent tube is on further examination found to be an active liming animal known as a tunic at within the body of this siphon likee creature ensue all the vital processes of life the heart may be seen beating in rhythmic pulsations pumping the life-giving fluid to all the organ systems of the body this animal starts its life with a vestage of a backbone hence it is related to all backboned animals the adult heart is most peculiar after beating in one direction for several moments it reverses its action and beats in the opposite direction close observation reveals this remarkable phenomenon it is bewildering to attempt to contemplate the plan or means by which the diversity of sea life assumed its present form this beautiful creature extending its graceful arms to search the sea may be likened to a rocket bursting in the [Music] Sky by chance or plan these animals have been placed in an environment that has developed characteristics superficially like flowers but this is the extent of the similarity the animal Retreats again to share the obscurity of the Myriad forms of living Jews in the depths of Troubled Waters [Music] come