ny
creatures from which it takes its start, and that seem so exceedingly
small to me to be called "sea-animals." But think of the wonderful
formations that grow from the bodies of these mites of creatures! Why,
there are whole reefs or chains of rocky borders along some coasts made
entirely of coral. Some of them are known as barrier reefs.

Bless you! it may be hard to believe, but a barrier reef twelve hundred
miles long runs along the coast of Australia between the Pacific and
Indian Oceans! Then there are coral islands in the Pacific Ocean, whole
platforms of solid coral which shut in portions of quiet water in some
places.

The little corals themselves do not work in deep water, nor above the
surface of the sea. But the bony substance spreads and spreads, up,
down, and across the sea. And as many shell-fish eat into coral, great
quantities of fine coral-sand sink to the bottom, making a nice white
carpet for the fishes to glide over. Folks do not take coral from the
sea at any time but during the months you call April, May, and June.

Now remember these things when you go into houses and see fine large
pieces of coral on the mantel, or it may be standing against the wall.

Perhaps you have a coral necklace of little, uneven, red, stick-like
beads. The jeweller-man can tell you how very hard it is to drill the
holes in these beads; it is like drilling through hard rock. But if you
happen to have a necklace, brooch, or bracelet of pink coral, my! you
had better take good care of it, for it must have cost a little bag of
gold. Pink coral is rare, beautiful, and very expensive. The genuine
pink-tinted is said to have sold for so great a price as five hundred
dollars for a single ounce.

Heigho! I want neither necklace, brooch, nor bracelet. For where, pray,
would Lord Dolphin wear a breastpin, or how would he look with a string
of coral beads about his neck, or a bracelet pinched about his tail?

You needn't laugh so hard. I have seen Folks who hung too much jewelry
about themselves and seemed to think it becoming. A few pieces of nice
jewelry may be tasteful and ornamental, but when too much is worn, I
have a fancy that it might make a coral mite or an oyster want to laugh.

Pretty soon I must explain why an oyster might have a right to be amused
at seeing too many gems crowded on at once. But first you must hear
something funny about coral, something so silly, too, that even a fish
is almost ashamed to tell of