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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..071026d --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #66669 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66669) diff --git a/old/66669-0.txt b/old/66669-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5ee91b7..0000000 --- a/old/66669-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4420 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Sea-Shore, by Janet Harvey Kelman - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Sea-Shore - Shown to the Children - -Author: Theodore Wood - -Editor: Louey Chisholm - -Illustrator: Janet Harvey Kelman - -Release Date: November 4, 2021 [eBook #66669] - -Language: English - -Produced by: D A Alexander, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by - University of California libraries) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEA-SHORE *** - - - - - -THE “SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN” SERIES - - -1. BEASTS - - With 48 Coloured Plates by PERCY J. BILLINGHURST. Letterpress by LENA - DALKEITH. - - -2. FLOWERS - - With 48 Coloured Plates showing 150 flowers, by JANET HARVEY KELMAN. - Letterpress by C. E. SMITH. - - -3. BIRDS - - With 48 Coloured Plates by M. K. C. SCOTT. Letterpress by J. A. - HENDERSON. - - -4. THE SEA-SHORE - - With 48 Coloured Plates by JANET HARVEY KELMAN. Described by REV. - THEODORE WOOD. - - - - - THE “SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN” SERIES - - EDITED BY LOUEY CHISHOLM - - - THE SEA-SHORE - - -[Illustration: PLATE I - -1. and 2. THE GOBIES.] - - - - - The Sea-Shore - SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN - - BY - JANET HARVEY KELMAN - - DESCRIBED BY - REV. THEODORE WOOD - - [Illustration] - - FORTY-EIGHT COLOURED PICTURES - - LONDON & EDINBURGH - T. C. & E. C. JACK - - - - - Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. - At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh - - - - -LIST OF SEA-SHORE WONDERS - - - CHAPTER I - FISHES - - Plate - I. 1. and 2. The Gobies - II. 1. The Smooth Blenny - ” 2. The Spotted Gunnell - III. 1. The Dragonet - ” 2. The Pipe-Fish - IV. The Flounder - V. The Plaice - VI. 1. The Egg of the Skate - ” 2. The Egg of the Dog-Fish - - - CHAPTER II - THE MOLLUSCS - - Plate - VII. 1. and 2. The Cuttle - VIII. 1. and 2. The Whelk - IX. 1. The Dog Whelk - ” 2. The Sting Winkle - ” 3. The Periwinkle - ” 4. The Dog Periwinkle - ” 5. The Purpura - X. 1. The Sea Snail - ” 2. The Wentletrap - XI. 1. The Common Limpet - ” 2. The Key-Hole Limpet - ” 3. The Smooth Limpet - ” 4. The Cup and Saucer Limpet - XII. 1. The Painted Top - ” 2. The Grey Top - ” 3. The Cowry - ” 4. The Chiton - - - CHAPTER III - BIVALVE MOLLUSCS - - Plate - XIII. 1. The Oyster - ” 2. The Saddle Oyster - ” 3. The Cockle - XIV. 1. Inside of Mussel Shell - ” 2. The Mussel - ” 3. The Horse Mussel - XV. 1. The Variable Scallop - ” 2. The Radiated Scallop - ” 3. The Hunchback Scallop - XVI. 1. Inside of Sunset Shell - ” 2. The Sunset Shell - ” 3. The Gaper - XVII. 1. The Piddock - ” 2. and 3. The Little Piddock - XVIII. 1. The Shipworm - ” 2. Wood bored by Shipworm - XIX. 1. The Razor - ” 2. Top of Razor from Front - ” 3. The Sabre Razor - XX. The Pinna - - - CHAPTER IV - CRABS - - How Crabs Grow - How Crabs See - How Crabs Hear and Smell - Plate - XXI. The Edible Crab - - XXII. 1. The Shore or Green Crab - ” 2. The Fiddler Crab - XXIII. 1. The Masked Crab - ” 2. The Thornback Crab - XXIV. 1. The Long-Beaked Spider Crab - ” 2. The Four-Horned Spider Crab - XXV. 1. The Pea Crab - ” 2. and 2 A. Crab Caterpillars - ” 3. and 3 A. Crab Chrysalids - XXVI. 1. The Hermit Crab in Whelk Shell - ” 2. The Hermit Crab out of Shell - - - CHAPTER V - LOBSTERS AND THEIR KIN - - Plate - XXVII. The Lobster - XXVIII. 1. The Prawn - ” 2. The Æsop Prawn - ” 3. The Shrimp - XXIX. 1. and 1 A. The Sandhopper - ” 2. and 2 A. The Sand Screw - XXX. 1. Acorn Shells - ” 2. Ship Barnacles - - - CHAPTER VI - THE SEA WORMS - - Plate - XXXI. 1. The Sea Mouse - ” 2. The Sabella - XXXII. 1. and 2. The Serpula - XXXIII. 1. The Terebella - ” 2. The Lug Worm - XXXIV. 1. The Nemertes - ” 2. The Nereis - - - CHAPTER VII - STARFISHES - - Plate - Starfishes’ Legs - XXXV. 1. The Five-Finger Starfish - ” 2. The Bird’s-Foot Starfish - XXXVI. The Sun Starfish - XXXVII. The Brittle Starfish - XXXVIII. 1. The Sea Urchin without Spines - ” 2. The Sea Urchin with spines - - - CHAPTER VIII - SEA CUCUMBERS AND JELLYFISHES - - Plate - XXXIX. 1. The Sea Cucumber - ” 2. The Common Jellyfish - XL. 1. The Stinging Jellyfish - ” 2. The Sea Acorn - - - CHAPTER IX - SEA ANEMONES - - How Sea Anemones are formed - Plate - XLI. 1. The Smooth Anemone - ” 2. The Daisy Anemone - XLII. 1. The Thick-Armed Anemone - ” 2. The Snake-Locked Anemone - - - CHAPTER X - MADREPORES, CORALS, AND SPONGES - - Plate - XLIII. 1. The Madrepore - ” 2. The Sea Finger - XLIV. 1. The Tuft Coral - ” 2. The Bread-Crumb Sponge - ” 3. The Grantia Sponge - ” 4. Foraminifera - - - CHAPTER XI - SEA-WEED - - Plate - XLV. 1. The Bladder-Wrack - ” 2. The Oar Weed - XLVI. 1. Coralline - ” 2. Dulse - XLVII. 1. The Green Laver - ” 2. The Purple Laver - XLVIII. 1. Carrageen Moss - ” 2. The Sea Grass - ” 3. The Grass Wrack - - - - -ABOUT THIS BOOK - - -This book is intended to help little boys and girls to use their eyes. -The world is full of beautiful sights and wonderful creatures; and -some of the most beautiful and wonderful of all are to be seen on the -sea-shore. So I have tried to tell boys and girls, who are fortunate -enough to visit the sea-side, what they ought to look for, and where -they ought to look for it. And I can assure them that if they will only -take the trouble to see what there is to be seen, they will find fresh -objects of interest as often as they go down upon the beach, and that a -sea-side holiday will prove ten times as delightful as ever they found -it before. - - THEODORE WOOD. - - - - -THE SEA-SHORE - - - - -CHAPTER I - -FISHES - - -PLATE I - -THE GOBIES (1 and 2) - -In this little book I want to talk to you about some of the strange -and wonderful creatures which you may find when you go to stay by the -sea-side. And first of all I should like to tell you something about -the fishes. A great many of these, of course, live in the deep water, -where you cannot catch them, or even see them. But there are a good -many others which you can find very easily indeed. All that you have to -do is to wait until the tide has gone out, and then to go down and look -into the pools which are left among the rocks. There you are almost -sure to see a number of shadowy forms darting to and fro through the -water. Some of these, most likely, will be shrimps and prawns, which -are always very common in the rock-pools; but the others will be tiny -fishes. And even if you have not got a net you can often catch them -quite easily. Just bale out the water with a small pail, or even with -your hands, until the pool is nearly empty, and you will be able to -seize them with your fingers. - -Among the fishes which can be caught in this manner are several kinds -of Gobies. You can easily tell them from all other fishes by the -curious way in which their lower fins are made. These fins are placed -close together, so as to form a kind of cup-shaped sucker or soft pad, -by means of which the little creatures can cling so firmly to the rocks -that even a wave will not wash them from their hold. And if you take -them home alive and put them into a basin full of sea-water, they will -cling to the sides and stare at you in a most inquisitive way! Owing to -this habit the gobies are often called “rock-fishes.” - -The commonest of these odd little creatures, perhaps, is the Black -Goby. But the Spotted Goby is very nearly as plentiful. It is rather -hard to see, because it is coloured just like the sand at the bottom -of the pool, on which it is very fond of resting. But if you scoop out -the water from a shallow pool you will often find, not only the goby, -but its nest as well. For this little fish makes a most curious nest in -which to place its eggs. First of all it hunts about till it has found -half an empty cockle-shell, lying at the bottom of the water with its -hollow side downwards. It then scoops out the sand from underneath it, -so as to form a little chamber about as big as a marble. You would -think that the walls of this chamber would very soon fall in, wouldn’t -you? But the fish smears them all over with a kind of slime, which very -soon sets and becomes quite hard, just like cement. It then makes a -tunnel leading into the chamber by means of which it can go in and out; -and last of all it covers the cockle-shell all over with loose sand. -So unless you look very carefully at the bottom of the pool you will -not see the nest at all. But if you notice a kind of lump in the sand, -and find that half a cockle-shell is buried underneath it, you may be -pretty well sure that you have discovered the home of a spotted goby. - -This nest is always made by the male fish, and when it is quite -finished his mate comes and lays her eggs in it. Then for eight or nine -days he remains on guard outside the entrance, so as to prevent any -hungry creature from finding its way in and devouring them. At the end -of that time the eggs hatch, and a number of baby gobies make their -appearance; and although they are so small that one can hardly see -them, the father-fish seems to think that they are quite able to take -care of themselves. So he swims away, and leaves them to their fate. - -If you catch these little fishes with your fingers you must be careful -how you handle them, for they have rather long and sharp teeth, and can -give quite a smart bite. - - -PLATE II - -THE SMOOTH BLENNY (1) - -This fish, which is sometimes known as the Shanny, is also very common -in the rock-pools. But you are not likely to see it unless you bale out -all the water from a pool, for it always hides during the daytime in -the crannies among the rocks, or underneath sea-weeds. Or it will even -burrow down into the sandy mud beneath a big stone, so that you will -not find it at all unless you dig for it. - -When it is fully grown this fish is about five inches long, and it is -quite a remarkable creature in several different ways. - -In the first place, it varies a great deal in colour. Sometimes it is -partly green and partly yellow, sometimes it is olive brown nearly all -over, and sometimes it is almost black. But you can always tell it by -the ring of bright crimson which surrounds each eye. - -In the second place, it can remain for quite a long time out of the -water. Some fishes die almost at once if they are taken out of the sea. -But a blenny can live on dry land for twenty-four hours at least. The -reason is that its gills are made in such a way that they remain damp -for a long while after the fish leaves the water; and as long as the -gills are moist it is able to breathe. - -[Illustration: PLATE II - -1. THE SMOOTH BLENNY. - -2. THE SPOTTED GUNNELL.] - -So very often indeed a smooth blenny will hide in a crevice which is -left quite dry when the tide begins to fall, and will stay there till -it rises again, perhaps eight or ten hours later. - -But the oddest thing about this little fish is that it can move one -of its eyes about without moving the other! Have you ever seen a -chameleon? If so, you must have noticed how it will turn one of its -curious eyes, first in one direction, and then in another, while the -other eye remains quite still. And the blenny can move its eyes in -just the same way, so that very often when one of them is looking out -in front the other will be looking out behind. And then one will twist -round and look upwards, while the other twists round and looks down! - -If you succeed in catching a smooth blenny, you can always tell it from -the other fishes which live in the rock-pools by the deep notch in the -middle of the fin which runs along its back. - - -PLATE II - -THE SPOTTED GUNNELL (2) - -Another small fish which is very common in the rock-pools is the -Spotted Gunnell. It is often known as the “butter-fish,” and if you try -to catch it you will very quickly learn the reason why; for it will -slip between your fingers just as if it had been smeared all over with -butter. Nearly all fishes are slippery, but the spotted gunnell is the -most slippery of all, for its whole body is covered with such a thick -coat of greasy slime that it is really hardly possible to hold it. - -Sometimes the spotted gunnell is light brown in colour, and sometimes -it is dark brown. But you can always tell it by its shape, which is -very much like that of an eel, for its body is long and flat, and is -of almost the same width the whole way along, from the head to nearly -the tip of the tail. Then instead of having two fins on its back quite -separate from one another, as most fishes have, the spotted gunnell has -one very narrow fin which runs the whole length of the body. So, you -see, it is very much like an eel indeed. But you can always tell it by -the row of black spots, bordered with white, on the lower edge of the -back-fin. When fully grown it is about six inches long. - - -PLATE III - -THE DRAGONET (1) - -You will not find this little fish in the rock-pools nearly so often -as the gobies and the gunnells, for it generally lives at the bottom -of the sea at some little distance from the shore. But now and then it -comes swimming up as the tide rises, and gets left behind as it falls -again, so that for a few hours, at any rate, it is obliged to stay in -the pools. It is a most beautiful little creature, and, strange to -say, the male is much more handsome than the female, for he is golden -yellow above and white beneath, with streaks and spots of lilac upon -his back and sides, while his mate is reddish-yellow all over. Besides -this, he has the front spine of his first back-fin drawn out to such -a length that it reaches almost to the tip of his tail, while all his -other fins are very long and very spiny. He really does look, indeed, -very much like a tiny water-dragon. That is the reason, of course, why -he is called the “dragonet.” The female, however, has much smaller -fins. Indeed, she is so very unlike the male that until a few years ago -even naturalists thought that she was a different fish altogether, and -she was generally known as the Fox, on account of her reddish colour. - -[Illustration: PLATE III - -1. THE DRAGONET. - -2. THE PIPE-FISH.] - -If you ever succeed in finding a dragonet in the rock-pools it is -almost sure to be a female, for the male hardly ever comes into shallow -water. - - -PLATE III - -THE PIPE-FISH (2) - -This is a very odd-looking fish indeed--quite the most curious of all -the fishes which live in the rock-pools. And as it is very common, you -ought to be able to find it without any difficulty. - -In the first place, although it grows to a length of eighteen or -nineteen inches, its body, even in the largest part, is no bigger round -than a slate-pencil. For this reason it is often known as the Needle -Fish. - -Besides this, its jaws are drawn out to a most wonderful length, and -are fastened together all the way along, so that they really form a -kind of tube. So, you see, a pipe-fish can never open or shut its -mouth, but has to suck in its food through the tiny hole at the tip of -the jaws. - -Sometimes, as you look down into a rock-pool, you may see one of these -fishes feeding; and the way in which it does so is very curious indeed. -It suspends itself almost upright in the water, with its tail upwards -and its head downwards. It then fills its tube-like mouth with water, -which it squirts out again as hard as it possibly can. The result is, -of course, that the sand at the bottom of the pool is blown away, and -the various tiny creatures which were lying hidden underneath it are -uncovered. Then the fish sucks them up into its mouth, and swallows -them. - -Another curious fact about the pipe-fish is that instead of being -clothed with scales, as most fishes are, it is covered all over with -hard bony plates, just like a suit of armour. But the strangest thing -of all about it is that underneath the body of the male fish is a kind -of pouch, into which the female puts her eggs, so that he can carry -them about in safety until they hatch! Isn’t that odd? And it is even -said that after the little fishes are hatched they will go back into -their father’s pouch if they are frightened, just as baby kangaroos do -into that of their mother, and remain there until the danger has passed -away! - - -PLATE IV - -THE FLOUNDER - -This is one of the “flat fishes,” as everybody calls them, like the -turbot and the sole. Yet, really and truly, these creatures are not -flat at all. They are thin. For what we always call the back of a sole -is not really its back. It is one of its sides. And what we always call -its lower surface is not its lower surface, but its other side! - -This sounds very strange, doesn’t it? But the fact is that when these -so-called “flat” fishes are first hatched they swim upright, just as -all other fishes do. Then their backs are upwards, of course, and their -lower surfaces are downwards, and one of their sides is on either side. -For about a month they swim about in this way. At the end of that time -a strong desire comes over them to go and lie down on the sand or mud -at the bottom of the sea. Now, in order to do this, of course, they -have to lie upon their sides. Then three very strange things happen. - -In the first place, their colour changes. Until now, both sides of the -body have been pearly or silvery white. A white fish, however, lying on -yellow sand or brown mud, would be very easily seen, and some hungry -creature would be sure to catch sight of it and devour it. So as soon -as the little fish lies down the upper side begins to get darker, and -in a very short time it is of just the same colour as the sand or mud -all round it. If you look into a shallow pool in which some of these -fishes are lying you will find it very difficult indeed to see them, -for they look exactly like the surface on which they rest. - -In the second place, their way of swimming changes. When they first -hatch out from the egg these little fishes swim just as other fishes -do--upright, by means of their tails. For of course you know that -fishes do not swim with their fins, which merely help them to keep -their balance in the water. But when they lie down at the bottom of the -sea they give up this way of swimming, and wriggle their way, as it -were, through the water, still lying upon one side. - -[Illustration: PLATE IV - -THE FLOUNDER.] - -But the oddest change of all takes place in the position of the eyes. -You can easily see, of course, that if a fish with its eyes in the -usual place lies down on one side at the bottom of the sea, one eye is -underneath its head, and is quite useless. So you might think that, -except when it was swimming, it would only be able to see with one -of its eyes. But a very strange thing indeed happens as soon as it lies -down on the mud. The lower eye actually begins to move, and slowly -travels round the head, till at last it settles down by the side of -the other! That sounds impossible, doesn’t it? It is as wonderful as -anything in a fairy story. Yet in every one of these so-called “flat” -fishes that strange journey of the eye takes place. - -Next time you pass by a fishmonger’s shop just look at the soles or the -flounders in his window, and you will see that in every one of these -fishes the two eyes are quite close together, above the same corner of -the mouth. That is because one of the eyes moved right across the head -while the fish was quite small, so that it might be able to use them -both as it lay at the bottom of the sea. - -You can sometimes catch flounders by paddling in the sea in places -where the bottom is rather muddy. After a little while you are almost -sure to feel one of these fishes wriggling underneath your feet, and -all that you have to do is to stoop down and seize it. - - -PLATE V - -THE PLAICE - -In its habits the plaice is very much like the flounder, except that -it does not like lying upon mud, and always chooses a spot where the -bottom of the sea is sandy. And the skin of the upper side of its -body, instead of growing dark brown, like the colour of mud, becomes -speckled and spotted like the surface of sand. The fish is always very -careful indeed to conceal itself, for even when the sea-bottom is sandy -it does not lie upon the surface, but wriggles its way right down into -the sand, only leaving just its eyes and a small part of its head above -it. - -You can always tell a plaice when you see it by the bright -reddish-yellow spots upon the upper side of its body and its fins. And -besides these, it always has a row of little bony knobs on the upper -side of its head. You can catch it just as you can catch flounders, by -paddling in the sea. But the plaice which are caught in this way are -always quite small ones, for the bigger fish, which sometimes weigh as -much as twelve or even fifteen pounds, live in the deeper water at some -little distance from the shore. - - -PLATE VI - -THE EGG OF THE SKATE (1) - -Very often indeed, as you walk along the sea-shore, you will find a -curious object which the fishermen generally call a “mermaid’s purse.” -It is about three inches long and two inches wide, and is made of a -black, horny substance, so tough and hard that it is very difficult -indeed to tear it. And from each corner there projects a slender tube, -about an inch in length. In fact it looks rather like a hand-barrow, -with handles in front as well as at the back, instead of wheels. - -[Illustration: PLATE V - -THE PLAICE.] - -This is an egg of that very curious fish which we call the Skate, -and which looks something like one of the “flat” fishes with a long -whip-like tail. So it is sometimes called a “skate-barrow.” When it is -flung up on the beach by the waves the egg is nearly always empty. But -if you happen to be staying by the sea-side in the early spring, and go -down for a walk along the beach after a violent storm, you may perhaps -find one of these eggs with a baby skate inside it. And if you examine -the egg very carefully, you will find that while one end is firmly -closed up, the other end has a slit running right across it, and that -this slit is made in such a way that it allows the little fish to pass -out quite easily when the proper time comes, but quite prevents any -other creature from coming in. - - -PLATE VI - -THE EGG OF THE DOG-FISH (2) - -On some parts of the coast you may often find an empty egg which is -very much like that of the skate, for it is made of just the same horny -material, and is of just the same shape. But at the four corners, -instead of having straight projections like the handles of a barrow, it -has long, twisted tendrils, just like those of a vine. - -This is the egg of the Dog-fish, which is really a kind of small shark. -It is not big or strong enough to be dangerous to human beings; but it -is a terrible enemy to such small fishes as pilchards and herrings. For -a number of these creatures form themselves into a band and go hunting -together, just like a pack of wild dogs. And they will follow the shoal -about day after day, snapping up the poor helpless fishes in hundreds -and thousands. - -When a dog-fish lays its eggs, it seems to fasten them down by their -tendrils to the weeds which are growing at the bottom of the sea; and -these hold them so firmly that unless the weeds are torn up with them, -they never break away. At each end of the egg is a small hole, allowing -a current of water to pass over the little fish inside it. And at one -end there is a slit, just like that in the egg of the skate, which can -only be pushed open from the inside. So the little dog-fish can get -out, while its enemies cannot get in. - -[Illustration: PLATE VI - -1. THE EGG OF SKATE. - -2. THE EGG OF DOG-FISH.] - -Very often, after a violent storm, you may find a dead dog-fish lying -upon the shore; and even if you have never seen one of these creatures -before you can tell at once what it is, because its skin is so rough -that it feels exactly like a piece of sand-paper. So this skin is -often used for covering the handles of swords, in order to give a firm -grip; and sometimes narrow strips of it are fastened to the sides of -boxes of lucifer matches. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE MOLLUSCS - - -PLATE VII - -THE CUTTLE (1 and 2) - -We now come to the Molluscs, or Soft-bodied Animals, of which there are -a very great many. Some of them live in shells, like the oyster and -the whelk, and are often spoken of as “shell-fishes.” But they are not -really fishes at all, for they have no bones as fishes have, and are -made in quite a different way. And there are just a few of them which -have no shells at all. - -One of these is that very curious creature which we call the Cuttle. -You may sometimes find it in the rock-pools, lurking in the crevices -among the rocks, or hiding under the masses of sea-weeds which grow -round the edges. It has a soft, white, bag-like body, and a big head, -on which are two great staring black eyes. Just above these eyes eight -long slender arms spring out; for cuttles keep their arms on their -heads instead of on their bodies! And another arm which is even longer -still, and is flattened out at the end into a kind of oval plate, hangs -down on either side. - -All these arms are set with rows of round suckers, which are so -strong that if even a small cuttle catches hold of you, it will not -be very easy to make him let go. So if you do happen to find a cuttle -in a rock-pool it will be better to watch him in the water, without -attempting to catch him. - -Down in the middle of all these branching arms, just where they spring -from the head, are two very curious organs. The first of these is the -beak, which is very strong, very sharp, and a good deal hooked. In -fact, it is rather like that of a parrot. The other consists of two -tubes which run downwards into the head, lying side by side together -like the barrels of a double-barrelled gun. - -These tubes are called the “siphon,” and they are used for three -purposes. - -First of all, they are used for breathing. The cuttle breathes water by -means of gills, like those of fishes, which lie inside the head; and -the water passes down to them through one of the siphon tubes, and then -goes out again through the other. - -Next, they are used for swimming. When a cuttle wants to swim it -gathers all its arms together in front of its head, fills both its -siphon tubes with water, and then squirts their contents out again as -hard as it can. The result is that two jets of water come rushing out -of its head with such force that the surrounding water cannot give way -fast enough before them. So they push the cuttle backwards so swiftly -that if it were to dart across the pool you would hardly be able to -follow its movements. - -The third use of the siphon tubes is a very strange one indeed. -Sometimes while you are looking at a cuttle in a rock-pool, the water -all round it will suddenly become quite dark, just as if a quantity of -ink had been poured into the pool. And so it has; for inside its body -the cuttle has a bag which contains a quantity of a deep black liquid -called “sepia.” This bag is surrounded by powerful muscles, and opens -into the siphon tubes; so that when the animal contracts the muscles, -the sepia is squirted out into the pool. It always does this if it is -frightened; and under cover of the darkened water it nearly always -succeeds in making its escape. - -Inside its body the cuttle also has a very curious object which is -generally called a “cuttle-bone.” It is not really a bone, however, but -is made of almost pure chalk, and seems to act as a kind of support for -the bodily organs. - -[Illustration: PLATE VII - -1. THE CUTTLE. - -2. THE EGGS OF CUTTLE.] - -Another very odd thing about the cuttle is the way in which it lays its -eggs. These look just like purple grapes, and each has a small stalk, -by means of which they are fastened together in bunches. Indeed, the -fishermen always call them “sea-grapes.” You may often find them lying -about upon the beach in early spring, and if you open one of them -carefully, you will find a little baby cuttle inside it. - - -PLATE VIII - -THE WHELK (1 and 2) - -Everybody knows the shells of whelks by sight, and you can hardly take -a walk along the sea-shore without seeing hundreds of them lying about -on the beach. And great numbers of whelks are caught for human food, -and also to serve as bait for fishes. - -One very curious thing about whelks is the way in which they lay their -eggs. Very often indeed, as you walk along the sandy sea-shore, you -will notice round clusters of yellowish white eggs, which often go -rolling along before the wind. Each of these clusters is about as big -as a cricket-ball, and the eggs of which it is made up are about as -large as peas. Now these are the eggs of whelks, and I think that every -one who sees them must wonder how these creatures can possibly manage -to lay such very big balls of eggs. For each egg-ball is at least two -or three times as big as the biggest whelk. - -But, after all, the explanation is quite a simple one. When the eggs -are first laid they are very small indeed. Each is no bigger than a -tiny pin’s head. Instead of having shells, however, these eggs have -tough but very elastic skins; and these skins are made in such a way -that while they allow water to soak in from the outside, they will not -allow it to pass out again. So as soon as the eggs are dropped into the -sea they begin to swell; and the result is that before very long each -egg is as big as a good-sized pea. - -If you pick up a cluster of these curious eggs in the early spring and -open them, you will find inside each the shell of a very tiny whelk, -which is almost ready to hatch out. - - -PLATE IX - -THE DOG WHELK (1) - -If you look in the ridges of small pebbles and bits of broken coal -which you will meet with here and there on the sandy parts of the -sea-shore, you are quite sure to find a number of very small whelk -shells. They are brownish yellow outside, and pinkish white inside, and -instead of being quite smooth, like those of the common whelk, they -are covered with a number of ribs which run down from the peak to the -margin. And these ribs are broken up in such a way that they look -almost like rows of beads. - -[Illustration: PLATE VIII - -1. THE WHELK. - -2. THE EGGS OF WHELK.] - -These are the shells of the Dog Whelk, and if you wait until the tide -is quite low, and then hunt about on the weed-covered rocks close to -the edge of the sea, you will very likely find some of the living -animals crawling about. They feed upon the sea-weeds by means of a -curious organ called the tooth-ribbon. This is just a narrow strip -of gristle, set with row upon row of very tiny hooked teeth; and by -drawing this backwards and forwards over the leaves of the weeds the -animal scrapes off very tiny pieces, which it then swallows. - -In the tooth-ribbon of one of these whelks there are about a hundred -rows of teeth, with about nine teeth in each row: so that the animal -has nearly a thousand teeth altogether. But of course you can only see -them by means of a powerful microscope. - - -PLATE IX - -THE STING WINKLE (2) - -Although this creature is called a “winkle” it is really one of the -whelks. It is very common, and you may often find its empty shell lying -upon the shore. It is white, or yellowish white, in colour, and is -generally about an inch and a half in length, with several high ridges -running down it from the top to the bottom, and a number of smaller -ridges running crosswise between them. - -You would not think that this could be a very dangerous creature, would -you? It looks as harmless as it can possibly be, and certainly you -need not be in the least afraid to pick up a sting winkle if you find -one crawling about, for it cannot injure human beings. But to other -shell-bearing molluscs it is a very terrible foe indeed. I dare say -that you have often noticed, when you have been picking up shells on -the sea-shore, that a good many of those shells had small round holes -bored through them. Well, those holes were pierced by a sting winkle. -For this animal is a creature of prey, and feeds entirely on other -animals which live in shells; and when it meets with one it fastens -itself to its victim’s shell, and drills a hole right through it by -means of its tooth-ribbon. It then pokes the tooth-ribbon through the -hole into the body of the animal inside, and draws it back again. As -it does so, of course, the sharp hooked teeth drag away little bits of -the animal’s flesh, which the sting winkle swallows. It then pokes its -tooth-ribbon down again into the body of the victim, and so on, over -and over again, until its hunger is satisfied. - - -PLATE IX - -THE PERIWINKLE (3 and 4) - -Of course you know the Periwinkle very well indeed by sight--and -very likely by taste, too! So there is no need for me to describe -it. But perhaps you did not know that there are two different kinds -of periwinkles. One of these is the Common Periwinkle, which is very -plentiful indeed on many parts of the coast. You may find it in -thousands and thousands if you hunt about on the weed-covered rocks -near the water’s edge when the tide is out, and no matter how many of -them are caught, there always seem to be just as many again next day. -This is the periwinkle which is used for food. - -The other is the Dog Periwinkle. It is rather larger, and has a stouter -shell. If you want to find it, you must look on the rocks about -half-way between high and low water-marks, and there you will generally -find it crawling about in numbers. But it is not good for food, because -it often has a quantity of eggs inside its body, and inside these eggs -the shells of the baby periwinkles are already formed, which make it -dreadfully gritty. Thrushes, however, as well as a good many of the -shore birds, do not mind this in the least, and they devour so many of -both these kinds of periwinkles that it is quite a wonder that any are -left alive. - - -PLATE IX - -THE PURPURA (5) - -In size and shape this very common creature is rather like the dog -periwinkle. But its shell is white in colour instead of bluish black, -and generally has two or three bands of light yellowish brown running -round it. You may often find it crawling about on the weed-covered -rocks when the tide is out. - -[Illustration: PLATE IX - -1. THE DOG WHELK. - -2. THE STING WINKLE. - -3. THE PERIWINKLE. - -4. THE DOG PERIWINKLE. - -5. THE PURPURA.] - -The purpura is quite a famous creature, because of the use which was -made of it by the ancient Romans. I dare say you know that in days of -old the colour of purple was very highly valued; and among the Romans -only members of the royal family were allowed to dress in purple -garments. Now this purple dye was obtained from the purpura. Inside its -body this creature has a little bag which contains about a drop of a -thick white liquid, rather like milk. Certainly it does not look in the -least like purple dye. But if you were to squeeze it out on to a sheet -of white paper, and to place it in the sunshine, you would very soon -see that it was changing colour. In a few minutes’ time it would -have turned to yellow. After a little time longer you would notice a -blue tinge creeping into the yellow, and turning it to green; and by -degrees the blue would become stronger and stronger, till the green -disappeared. At last a crimson tinge would creep into the blue and turn -it to purple; and this would be exactly the same as the famous purple -dye which the ancient Romans valued so highly. - -The eggs which are laid by the purpura are very curious indeed, for -they are fastened down to stones by little stalks; so that each one -looks rather like an egg-cup with an egg inside it. And inside each of -these eggs are several little purpuras instead of only one. - - -PLATE X - -THE SEA SNAIL (1) - -This is one of the very commonest of all the shell-bearing molluscs. -You may find it crawling about in numbers all over the weed-covered -rocks which are left bare as the tide goes down. Its shell varies -very much in colour, for it is sometimes bright yellow, and sometimes -pale yellow, and sometimes olive green, and sometimes brown, and -sometimes almost black. Indeed, you might almost think that there were -half-a-dozen different kinds of these sea snails instead of only one. - -These creatures have tooth-ribbons set with hundreds of tiny hooked -teeth, just like those of the dog whelks, and they use them in feeding -upon the leaves of sea-weeds in just the same way. - - -PLATE X - -THE WENTLETRAP (2) - -The Wentletrap is one of the most beautiful of all the shells which are -to be found upon the shore. Indeed, I really think that it is quite the -most beautiful. For the high ridges which stand out so boldly run round -and round it in the most graceful curves, and the whole shell looks -just as if it had been carved out of ivory. - -[Illustration: PLATE X - -1. THE SEA SNAIL. - -2. THE WENTLETRAP.] - -The wentletrap is sometimes known as the “staircase shell,” because the -ridges which run round it are very much like those spiral staircases -by which one climbs to the tops of church towers and other lofty -buildings. If you want to find it, the best place to look is in the -ridges of small pebbles which are washed up here and there on sandy -coasts by the waves, and which are generally mixed up with broken coal -which has been thrown out from passing ships. But it is not very -common, and you must not be disappointed if you do not succeed in -finding it. - - -PLATE XI - -THE COMMON LIMPET (1) - -This is a very common creature indeed, and you can find it in hundreds -and thousands on any rocky part of the coast. Numbers of its empty -shells are to be found lying about on the beach, and if you go down -among the rocks when the tide is out you will often notice that in some -places they are so covered with limpets that you can scarcely put the -tip of your finger in between them. - -These animals cling to the rocks in the most wonderful way. Indeed, -if you take hold of a big limpet between your fingers you will not be -able to move it in the least, even if you pull at it and push at it as -hard as you can. But if you take the animal by surprise, and give it a -sharp, sudden blow sideways with a stone, or the end of a stout stick, -you can generally knock it off quite easily. And you will very often -find that a deep ring-shaped mark has been worn away in the rock by the -sharp edges of its shell. - -However, limpets do not always remain clinging to the rocks, for they -can crawl about quite as easily as snails can, by means of that soft, -fleshy part of the body which we call the “foot.” And if you take them -home alive, and put them into an aquarium, you may often see them -creeping up and down the glass sides, through which you can examine -their bodies quite easily. - - -PLATE XI - -THE KEY-HOLE LIMPET (2) - -There are a good many different kinds of limpets, of which one of the -most curious is the Key-hole Limpet. It is generally found in rather -deep water, but you may sometimes find it clinging to the rocks just -above low-water mark. You must choose a season of “spring-tide,” -however, for then the tide goes farther out than usual, and leaves -behind it a good many creatures which at other times one hardly ever -sees. - -The shell of this creature is rather stouter than that of the common -limpet, and has a number of ridges running down it from the peak to -the margin. Even by these you can tell it at once. But if you look at -it closely, you will also find that just at the top of the peak there -is a hole shaped rather like a key-hole. Through this hole the animal -squirts out the water which has passed over its gills; so that all the -time that it is breathing, if only one could see it, a kind of little -fountain is playing under water, spouting out from the top of its shell! - - -PLATE XI - -THE SMOOTH LIMPET (3) - -At first sight, perhaps, you would hardly take this creature for a -limpet at all, for it is ever so much smaller than either the common or -the key-hole limpets, and has a very thin and delicate shell indeed. It -varies a good deal in colour, but generally the shell is pale brown, -looking almost like polished horn, with eight or nine narrow streaks -of bright blue running down from the peak to the margin. It is often -called the “bonnet shell,” because in shape it is rather like an -old-fashioned bonnet. - -You may often find the empty shells of this creature lying upon the -shore. But if you take them home you will find that as soon as they -become dry the beautiful blue streaks begin to fade, and that after a -few days you can hardly see them at all. - - -PLATE XI - -THE CUP AND SAUCER LIMPET (4) - -This is a very curious creature indeed. But if you want to see why its -rather odd name was given to it, you must look inside its shell instead -of outside. Then you will see that in the upper part is a curved plate -which really looks very much like a tiny tea-cup, while the shell -itself surrounds it just like a saucer. And if you were to examine the -animal which lives inside it very carefully, and to pull out its long -tooth-ribbon, you would find at the tip of it a curious little organ -which looks just like a tea-spoon. So that we have cup, saucer, and -spoon all in one! - -Perhaps you may wonder what the odd little cup is for. Well, the fact -is that the muscles by means of which the animal clings to the rock are -very strong indeed. So, of course, there must be something else very -strong to which they can be fastened, and this cup-shaped plate gives -them a very firm hold. - -The cup and saucer limpet is not a very common creature, and in many -parts of the coast it is never met with at all. But if you stay by the -sea-side on the south coast of England, you may sometimes find its -empty shell lying upon the shore. - -[Illustration: PLATE XI - -1. THE LIMPET. - -2. THE KEY-HOLE LIMPET. - -3. THE SMOOTH LIMPET. - -4. THE CUP AND SAUCER LIMPET.] - - -PLATE XII - -THE PAINTED TOP (1) - -Tops are generally very common indeed on the sandy parts of the shore. -You cannot possibly mistake their shells for those of any other -creatures, for they are cone-shaped, looking very much like rather -flattened sugar-loaves, and are generally very beautifully coloured. So -pretty are they, indeed, that they are sometimes strung together and -worn as necklaces, or used for ornamenting ladies’ dresses. - -The painted top is one of the most beautiful of all these shells, for -it is covered all over with spots and streaks and blotches of scarlet, -and crimson, and pink, and purple, and white, and blue, and yellow! But -all this lovely colouring is only on the outer coat of the shell, which -is very easily chipped off. The consequence is that these shells are -very often damaged by being tossed to and fro by the waves, and though -you may often find twenty or thirty in the course of a morning, not -more than two or three, perhaps, will be quite uninjured. - -Tops are very useful creatures to have alive in an aquarium, for they -keep the glass sides clean from the tiny green weeds which so quickly -grow upon them. They do this by means of their tooth-ribbons, and you -may see them crawling about on the glass walls and mowing down the -weeds, just as a gardener cuts the grass on the lawn with his scythe. - - -PLATE XII - -THE GREY TOP (2) - -The painted top is rather a large shell, for it is often nearly an inch -in height from the peak to the margin. But the Grey Top, which is even -commoner still, is a good deal smaller. It is not nearly so brightly -tinted as the painted top, for it is yellowish grey in colour, with -zigzag black streaks running round and round it, which give it rather a -mottled look. Still, it is a very pretty shell indeed. - -If you look at a top shell from underneath, you will always find that -there is a small hole in the bottom. This is the entrance to a passage -which runs right up into the peak of the shell. In the grey top this -hole is just about big enough to admit a rather fine needle. - - -PLATE XII - -THE COWRY (3) - -No doubt you have often found this very pretty shell, for on the sandy -parts of our coasts it is sometimes very common. You may often find -twenty or thirty cowries, indeed, in one of those ridges of pebbles and -small coal which are washed up by every tide. But if you were to see -the living animals crawling about I do not think that you would ever -guess what they were, for their soft bodies come outside their shells, -which they cover up so completely that you can hardly see them at all. - -If you look on the upper part of the shell, you will see that a pale -streak runs across it from one side to the other. This streak marks the -line where the edges of the two sides of the body almost meet. - -In some parts of the world cowry shells are used instead of money. It -seems rather an easy way of getting rich, doesn’t it, just to go and -pick up shells on the sea-shore? But then fifteen hundred of these -cowries are only worth about a shilling, so that you would have to pick -up a very great many even if you only wanted to do a day’s shopping! -And then they are ever so much bigger than our English cowries, so -that it would not be very easy to carry them about. You would have to -take several sacks full of cowries with you when you went to make a -purchase, instead of just keeping your money in a purse! - - -PLATE XII - -THE CHITON (4) - -The chiton is one of the oddest of all the shell-bearing molluscs; -for it does not look like a mollusc at all. It looks much more like a -kind of sea woodlouse, or a very tiny armadillo. For instead of having -a single shell like a whelk or a periwinkle, or a double one like a -cockle or an oyster, it has eight shelly plates on its back which -overlap one another, just like the tiles on the roof of a house. And if -you touch it, it will often roll itself up into a kind of ball, just -like the pill-millepedes, or “monkey-peas,” which are so common in our -gardens. - -[Illustration: PLATE XII - -1. THE PAINTED TOP. - -2. THE GREY TOP. - -3. THE COWRY. - -4. THE CHITON.] - -This creature is called the Chiton, and if you want to find it you -must go and look on the piles at the end of a pier, or on the rocks -which are left bare at very low tides. There you will often find it in -hundreds. Generally it is ashy grey in colour, but it varies a good -deal in hue, and you will sometimes find examples which are streaked -and mottled with pink, and orange, and white, and lilac, and chocolate -brown. - -Before a chiton reaches its perfect form it passes through a kind of -caterpillar stage, and then turns into a sort of chrysalis, just as an -insect does. And both the caterpillar and the chrysalis, strange to -say, have eyes upon their heads, while the perfect chiton has none. But -some chitons have eyes all over their shells instead, and in some of -these very odd creatures between eleven and twelve thousand eyes have -been counted, the shells being almost entirely covered with them; so -that the animals may really be said to see with their whole bodies! - - - - -CHAPTER III - -BIVALVE MOLLUSCS - - -PLATE XIII - -THE OYSTER (1) - -The “bivalve” molluscs are so called because they live in shells made -of two parts, or “valves,” which are fastened together by means of a -hinge. There are a great many of these, and the Oyster is one of the -best known of them all. - -This creature is only found in places where the bottom of the sea is -muddy, because in sandy places the sand is very apt to get into the -hinges of the shells and to prevent them from being closed; and in -that case the animal very soon dies from suffocation. So oysters are -generally found in the mouths of rivers, or in land-locked bays where -there is no sand at all. - -The history of these creatures is a very curious one indeed. - -In the month of May the mother oyster produces a very large number of -eggs--sometimes as many as eight or nine hundred thousand! These are -called “oyster spat,” and for several weeks she keeps them in her -gills. Then one day she suddenly opens her valves and squirts them -out into the water, where they look like a little cloud of the finest -possible dust. For a short time after these eggs hatch the baby oysters -swim about, and travel backwards and forwards as the tide rises and -falls. After a while, however, they sink down and fasten themselves to -some object at the bottom of the sea; and when once they have done this -they never move again. They always lie upon their left sides, with the -smaller and flatter of the two valves uppermost; and there they remain -for five years at least before they reach their full size. - -Oysters feed, too, in a very odd way. You know, perhaps, that inside -the shell of an oyster there is a tufted organ which we call the -“beard.” This consists of the gills. Hidden away underneath these is -the mouth; and the gills do not merely suck out the air which has been -dissolved in the water, as those of other animals do, but sift out -every little tiny scrap of decaying matter which the oyster can use for -food as well. So an oyster’s gills enable it to breathe and to catch -its dinner at the same time! - - -PLATE XIII - -THE SADDLE OYSTER (2) - -This is a very curious oyster; for in its flat lower valve, just below -the hinge, is a large oval hole. Through this hole passes a strong band -of muscle, to which is fastened a kind of shelly knob which looks just -like a button. By means of this the animal fastens itself down to some -object at the bottom of the sea; and very often indeed it is found -attached to the shells of other molluscs, looking something like the -saddle on the back of a horse. That is why it is called the “saddle -oyster.” - -Another curious fact about this creature is that very often its shape -completely alters as it grows older. While it is quite small it looks -very much like an ordinary oyster. But as time goes on it generally -takes the form of the object on which it rests. So you might easily -find half-a-dozen shells of the saddle oyster, not one of which would -be shaped like any of the others. - -[Illustration: PLATE XIII - -1. THE OYSTER. - -2. THE SADDLE OYSTER. - -3. THE COCKLE.] - - -PLATE XIII - -THE COCKLE (3) - -This is one of the very commonest of all the creatures of the -sea-shore, and you may find its heart-shaped shells lying about on the -beach in hundreds and thousands. In many places, indeed, cockle-shells -are found in such wonderful numbers that they are crushed up and used -for covering pathways instead of gravel. - -Yet you may wander about on the shore day after day for weeks together -and never see a living cockle. How is this? - -Well, the reason is that cockles live buried underneath the sand. If -you go down near the edge of the waves when the tide is quite low, and -just stand still for a minute or two and watch, you are almost sure to -see first one little jet of water, and then another, and then another, -come squirting up out of the sand into the air. Now these little jets -of water are thrown up by cockles which are lying buried in the wet -sandy mud below. For every now and then these creatures draw down a -little water into their gills, through one of their siphon tubes, and -when they have sucked all the air out of it they squirt it up again -through the other. - -Would you like to dig one of them up and look at it? Well, just take -a wooden spade and try. You will find that you cannot do it, for the -cockle can dig a good deal faster than you can. The fact is that he has -a very strong, fleshy organ which we call the “foot,” and with this he -can burrow down into the sandy mud so quickly that by the time you have -dug to a depth of six inches, he will have gone down to the depth of -ten or twelve. - -The cockle uses this “foot” for another purpose as well, for he can -jump with it. And if you did succeed in digging him out of the ground, -you would very likely see him skipping about in the most active way, -almost like a sandhopper! - -Upon some parts of the coast another kind of cockle is found, which -has its “foot” of a bright red colour. For this reason it is generally -known as the “red-nosed cockle.” - - -PLATE XIV - -THE MUSSEL (1 and 2) - -Mussels are almost, if not quite, as plentiful as cockles. If you walk -down underneath a pier or a jetty when the tide is out, you will often -find that the pillars which support it are covered with great clusters -of these creatures; and very often the rocks which are left dry at -low-water are covered with them in just the same way. They fasten -themselves down by means of a bundle of very strong threads, which we -call the “byssus”; and these hold so firmly, that although the waves -may beat upon a bed of mussels day after day all through the year, they -never succeed in tearing them away. - -Near the town of Bideford in Devonshire, indeed, there is a bridge -which is only kept standing by means of mussels. This bridge, which -is a very long one, with twenty-four arches, runs across the Towridge -River, close to the place where it joins the Taw; and the tide runs so -rapidly that if mortar is used to repair the bridge it is very soon -washed away. So boat-loads of mussels are brought to the bridge from -time to time, and these anchor themselves down so firmly by means of -their byssus threads that they actually hold the stone-work together! - -Sometimes, however, mussels do a great deal of harm, for they will get -into an oyster-bed and fasten themselves down upon the shells of the -oysters. Their byssus threads then form a kind of thick mat, which -collects and holds the mud that is brought up by the tide every time -that it rises; and this very soon covers the oysters entirely up, and -smothers them to death. - -Mussels do not remain fastened down in one place for the whole of -their lives, however, as oysters do. They can crawl about quite easily -whenever they like. And they do this, also, by means of their byssus -threads. First they move a few of these threads forward, and take a -fresh hold with them; then they draw the rest up after them; and then -they move the front ones forward once more, and so on over and over -again. - -Mussels are very largely used for food, and also as bait for deep-sea -fishing. In the Firth of Forth alone, indeed, nearly forty millions of -these creatures are collected every year for this latter purpose alone, -or one for every man, woman, and child in England and Scotland and -Wales! - - -PLATE XIV - -THE HORSE MUSSEL (3) - -This is not a very handsome creature, for its shell is covered all over -with a rather thick brown skin, which is very much wrinkled. It is -quite common in many places, and yet one does not very often see it; -for it is nearly always hidden underneath its byssus threads, which -grow in thick masses. Besides this, it often burrows underneath the -surface of the sand; so that unless you know just _where_ to look for -it, and _how_ to look for it, you are not likely to find it. - -[Illustration: PLATE XIV - -1. INSIDE OF MUSSEL SHELL. - -2. THE MUSSEL. - -3. THE HORSE MUSSEL.] - -But if you go down to the pools at the very edge of the water when -the tide is quite low, and scrape away the sand which is heaped up -against the bottom of the rocks, you may very likely come upon quite a -large cluster of these curious creatures. - -Horse mussels are not used for food as common mussels are, because they -have a very strong and unpleasant taste. - - -PLATE XV - -THE VARIABLE SCALLOP (1) - -A good many different kinds of scallops are found on our shores. One -of them--the Common Scallop--is as large as the palm of a man’s hand, -and is used for food. You may often see it in fishmongers’ shops. But -you are not at all likely to find its empty shells lying on the shore, -for it lives in rather deep water. You may find those of the Variable -Scallop, however, very often indeed in places where the shore is sandy. -It is called the “variable” scallop because it varies so much in colour -that one hardly ever sees two of its shells which are quite alike. -Sometimes they are crimson, sometimes pink, sometimes mauve, sometimes -dark yellow, sometimes golden yellow, and sometimes blotched and -mottled with different colours. A number of ridges run down the shell -from the hinge to the margin, and on each of these is a row of short -spikes; so that the animal looks something like a tipsy-cake! - -Scallops swim in a rather curious way, namely, by opening and shutting -their valves over and over again. As often as they do this a jet of -water is squirted out, and this acts on the surrounding water just like -the jets which are squirted from the siphon tubes of the cuttle, and -drives the animal along with some little speed. As it travels through -the water it looks very pretty, for all round the edges of its shell it -has a fringe of long feelers, which wave up and down in a most graceful -way. By means of these it obtains its food. At the base of these -feelers is a row of little black dots, which seem to be eyes. - - -PLATE XV - -THE RADIATED SCALLOP (2) - -This is rather a rare shell, and if you find it lying upon the shore -you will be fortunate. You may know it at once if you _do_ find it, for -it only has six or seven ridges running down it, instead of about twice -that number. It varies a good deal in colour, but is generally reddish -brown, spotted and speckled with white. - -[Illustration: PLATE XV - -1. THE VARIABLE SCALLOP. - -2. THE RADIATED SCALLOP. - -3. THE HUNCHBACK SCALLOP.] - - -PLATE XV - -THE HUNCHBACK SCALLOP (3) - -It is very easy to see why this creature is called the “hunchback,” for -although when it is quite small it is shaped just like other scallops, -it alters in form very much as it grows bigger; so that really it -sometimes looks as if it had been crumpled up when it was quite soft, -and had never recovered from the squeeze. Besides this, the two valves -are not alike, as they are in other scallops, for while one is always -very deep and rounded, the other is nearly flat. So when the animal -is alive it really has a kind of “hunchbacked” appearance; and if you -found its two valves lying apart from one another you would hardly -believe that they could both have belonged to the same creature. - -The colour of the hunchbacked scallop is white, mottled with brick-red. - - -PLATE XVI - -THE SUNSET SHELL (1 and 2) - -This is a very “local” shell. That is, it is very common indeed in -some places, so that you might pick up hundreds and hundreds in a few -minutes, while in other places it is never found at all. The best place -in which to look for it is a part of the beach where sand and mud are -mingled together, and there you will be almost sure to find it. - -The name of “sunset” shell has been given to it because of the -beautiful way in which the inside surface is coloured. Sometimes it is -rosy pink all over; sometimes it is orange yellow; sometimes it has -crimson streaks upon a whitish ground. But you can never look at it -without being reminded of the evening sky after a very bright sunset. -The outside of the shell, however, is always white and chalky-looking, -and no one who saw the two valves fastened together as they are when -the animal is alive would have the least idea how beautiful they really -are. - -This creature always lives buried in the sandy mud, just as the cockle -does. It has a very powerful “foot,” by means of which it burrows, and -two long and very slender siphon tubes. - - -PLATE XVI - -THE GAPER (3) - -This is another of the shell-bearing molluscs which live in burrows in -the sandy mud, and it is called the “gaper” because the shells are -always open at the top, just as if the animal were yawning, or gaping. -Through this opening the siphon tubes project. These tubes are used in -breathing, just like those of the cuttle, and are enclosed in a kind of -leathery case, which the animal can stretch out or draw back at will; -so that when it is lying at the bottom of its burrow it can keep the -tips of the siphon tubes just above the surface of the mud, and so draw -water down to its gills quite easily. - -[Illustration: PLATE XVI - -1. INSIDE OF SUNSET SHELL. - -2. THE SUNSET SHELL. - -3. THE GAPER.] - -On some parts of the coast gapers are used as food. But if you want -to buy some you must not call them “gapers.” You must call them “old -maids”; for by that name they are always called by the fishermen. -Some of the sea-birds are very fond of them too, and dig them out of -their burrows with their long beaks. And in the far North millions and -millions of them are devoured by walruses, and also by Arctic foxes, -which prowl about the shore in search of them every day when the tide -goes down. - - -PLATE XVII - -THE PIDDOCK (1) - -Now we come to one of the most wonderful of all the creatures which -live in the sea; namely, the Piddock. You can find its empty shells -lying about in numbers on almost any part of the shore where the cliffs -are made of chalk or limestone. And if you look at the rocks which are -left dry when the tide goes down you will see the entrances to its -burrows--large, oval holes, several of which you may often find quite -close together. For the piddock is a boring shell, which drives its -tunnels through and through the rocks, until very often they are quite -honeycombed by its tunnels. Sometimes you may meet with a big block of -chalk which only weighs about half as much as it should, because all -the rest has been cut away by piddocks. And if you could split it open -you would find several of these creatures lying in their burrows. - -But how they manage to cut their way through the hard chalk, or the -still harder limestone, nobody quite knows. Most likely, however, -they do so partly by means of the soft part of the body which we call -the “foot,” and partly by means of the shell, which they turn first a -little bit to one side, and then a little bit to the other side, just -like a man who is using a bradawl. Every now and then, of course, the -burrow gets choked up with the material which has been scraped away. -But the piddock knows quite well what to do in order to clear it. It -just squirts out a jet of water from the siphon tubes, by means of -which it breathes, and so washes the burrow out! - -Now let me tell you why I said that the piddock is one of the most -wonderful of all the creatures which live in the sea. - -First of all, then, remember that the sea, acting by itself, has very -little power to wash away chalk. For as soon as the waves begin to beat -upon the face of a chalk cliff, they leave on it the spores, or seeds, -of sea-weeds. Very soon those spores begin to grow, and before long the -surface of the cliff is covered with masses of weed, so that the sea -hardly touches the chalk underneath them at all. The waves might beat -upon the cliffs for hundreds and hundreds of years without breaking it -down. - -But the piddock comes and burrows into the chalk just below high-water -mark. Backwards and forwards it goes boring on, till at last only thin -dividing walls are left between its tunnels. Then the sea washes in, -and breaks down these walls, so that the whole foundation of the cliff -is cut away. The result is, of course, that before very long there is -a landslip. Hundreds of tons of chalk come tumbling down into the sea. -Then the piddocks begin work again a little farther back, and by-and-by -there is another landslip. - -You can see the effects of the piddock’s work upon any part of the -coast where there are chalk cliffs. Just look at the beach when the -tide is out. You will notice long spits of weed-covered rocks, which -sometimes run far out into the sea. Well, those rocks were not always -rocks. They were once the bottoms of cliffs. But the piddocks and the -sea, working together, cut the cliffs down; so that the sea gained, -yard by yard, upon the land. - -Indeed, I think that it may be said, quite truly, that if it had -not been for the work of the piddocks Great Britain would not be an -island! At any rate we do know this, that once, a great many hundreds -of thousands of years ago, Great Britain was not an island at all, but -was joined to the mainland of the Continent of Europe. And we also know -that the sea, acting by itself, could not possibly have cut a passage -through what we now call the Straits of Dover. The piddocks helped it -to do so! They kept on cutting away the foundation of the cliffs by -boring backwards and forwards through the solid chalk, just below the -level of the waves; and the sea finished the work which the piddocks -had begun, by breaking down the thin dividing walls between their -burrows. - - -PLATE XVII - -THE LITTLE PIDDOCK (2 and 3) - -The common piddock grows to a length of from three to five inches, and -is almost always white in colour, though sometimes it is stained by -the rocks in which it lives. But there is another kind of piddock -which is very much smaller, for its shells hardly ever measure more -than an inch and a half in length, and are a good deal narrower in -proportion to their size. This creature is called the Little Piddock. -It is generally of a brownish yellow colour, and you may often find its -burrows in great numbers in limestone rocks. - -[Illustration: PLATE XVII - -1. THE PIDDOCK. - -2. AND 3. THE LITTLE PIDDOCK.] - - -PLATE XVIII - -THE SHIP-WORM (1 and 2) - -This creature certainly does not look in the very least like a mollusc; -and I do not think that anybody who had never seen it before would ever -guess that it is really quite a near relation of the piddocks. It looks -much more like a kind of worm, for it has a soft round body no larger -than an ordinary drawing pencil, though it is often as much as ten or -even twelve inches in length. But if you were to look at the head end -of its body you would see its bivalve shells, though they are so very -small that they might easily be mistaken for jaws. And these would show -you that the animal is really a shell-bearing mollusc. - -The shipworm is a most mischievous creature, for instead of burrowing -into chalk or limestone rocks, like the piddocks, it bores into -timber, such as the hulls of ships, and the posts which support jetties -and piers. Very often it cuts away more than half the wood in a great -beam, leaving only the thinnest walls between its tunnels. And as it -works along it lines these tunnels with a curious shelly substance, -which strengthens them and prevents them from breaking down. - -By burrowing into timber in this way the shipworm often does most -terrible damage. But it seems to dislike the taste of iron rust very -much indeed. So when a beam of timber has to be protected from its -attacks, a number of iron nails with very broad, flat heads are driven -into the surface, with only the space of an inch or two between them. -The salt-water acts upon these very quickly, and the result is that -the whole of the beam is very soon covered over with a thin coating of -rust, so that no shipworm will attempt to touch it. - -[Illustration: PLATE XVIII - -1. THE SHIP-WORM. - -2. WOOD BORED BY SHIP-WORMS.] - -When the shipworm is quite small it is not in the least like the -perfect animal. Indeed, if you were to see a baby shipworm, I do not -think that you would ever guess what it was. It is really a kind of -shipworm caterpillar. In shape it is nearly round, and is covered -almost all over with tiny hair-like organs, by means of which it swims -in the water. But the odd thing about it is that it keeps on changing -its form. After about thirty-six hours it becomes oval. A few hours -later, if you were to look at it again, you would find that it was -almost triangular. A few hours later still it would be round again, -just as it was when it first hatched out of the egg. And during this -time of its life it has a strong fleshy “foot,” like that of a snail, -so that if it becomes tired of swimming it can settle down and crawl -about on the surface of the rocks. - -Have you ever been through the Thames tunnel? If you have, you will be -interested to know that it is made just like a shipworm’s burrow, for a -kind of boring instrument, called a “shield,” was made, which enabled -the workmen to line the walls with masonry as fast as the earth was -cut away. In this way the walls were prevented from falling in, and -water from the river above was kept from breaking through the roof and -flooding the tunnel. And Brunel, the great engineer who constructed -the tunnel, admitted that the idea had come to him one day when he was -examining the burrow of this wonderful mollusc. - - -PLATE XIX - -THE RAZOR (1 and 2) - -If you walk about very quietly, when the tide is out, on the stretch of -wet, sandy mud which lies just above low-water mark, you may often see -a very curious object resting at the surface, and looking just like a -little key-hole. And if you step heavily anywhere near it, it is almost -sure to squirt up a little jet of water into the air and disappear. -Then you may be quite sure that you have found the burrow of a Razor -Shell. - -This is a very long, narrow creature with bivalve shells, which are -shaped almost exactly like the handle of a razor. It is generally about -four or five inches in length and half-an-inch in width, and the object -which looks so like a key-hole consists of its siphon tubes, the tips -of which rest just above the surface of the sand when it is lying at -the mouth of its burrow. It digs by means of its strong, fleshy “foot,” -just as the cockle does, and its burrow, which goes straight downwards -just like a well, is often as much as two feet deep. So it is not a -very easy thing to get a razor out of its tunnel. But if you want to -do so I can tell you how to manage it. Just take a good big pinch of -salt, and drop it down into the hole. Now the razor does not like salt -at all, even though most of its life is spent at the bottom of the -salt-water, and it comes up to the mouth of its burrow in a great hurry -to get rid of it. Then if you make a very quick stroke with a spade you -can dig it out before it has time to get down to the bottom again. But -if you should fail to get it up at the first attempt it is of no use -to try again, for even if you pour down a whole handful of salt the -animal will never come up a second time. - -[Illustration: PLATE XIX - -1. THE RAZOR. - -2. TOP OF RAZOR FROM FRONT. - -3. THE SABRE RAZOR.] - -The razor is very good to eat, if its tough leathery skin is slipped -off, and on some parts of the coast it is often used for food. The -fishermen use it for bait, too, and catch it by means of a slender iron -rod with a barbed tip, which they thrust into its body as it lies at -the bottom of its burrow. - - -PLATE XIX - -THE SABRE RAZOR (3) - -There are several different kinds of Razors, and one of them is called -the “sabre razor,” because its shells are curved, just like the -scabbard of a sabre. It is fairly common, but you are never likely to -find its burrows, unless you go to look for them just at low-water -after a spring-tide, because it almost always lives below the ordinary -low-water mark. But after spring-tides--which come twice in every -month, once when the moon is new and once when it is full--the waves -retreat much farther than they do at other times. Then, if you go right -down to the water’s edge, you may often find creatures which you will -never meet with higher up on the beach. And one of these is the sabre -razor. - - -PLATE XX - -THE PINNA - -This is the largest of all the shell-bearing molluscs which live in -our British seas, for it has been known to reach a length of nearly -two feet. It is found chiefly on our southern coasts, and always lies -upright, half buried in the mud at the bottom of the water, with its -shells partly opened. And it always fastens itself down by a bunch of -“byssus” threads, like those of the mussel, which are so strong that it -takes a very hard pull indeed to tear them away from their hold. - -In the British Museum you may see a pair of gloves which have been made -out of the byssus threads of a pinna, and if these creatures were more -plentiful their threads would no doubt be used in this way very largely -indeed. - -Now why do you think that the pinna always rests at the bottom of the -water with its shells partly opened? - -[Illustration: PLATE XX - -THE PINNA.] - -Well, the reason is a very odd one. It is setting a trap for fishes! -For fishes, as perhaps you know, are very inquisitive creatures. They -always want to know all about everything, and whenever they see a -hole they think that they must find out what is inside it. So when a -little fish comes swimming past a pinna, and catches sight of its -gaping shells, it is almost sure to venture in between them. Then the -shells close tightly, and it finds itself in a prison from which there -is no escape; and very soon it is killed and devoured. - -In colour, the shells of the pinna are very pale brown, and a number -of ridges run down it from the smaller end to the larger. When the -animal is full-grown it is sometimes not at all easy to see its shells, -for they are covered almost all over with barnacles and the tubes of -sea-worms. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -CRABS - - -HOW CRABS GROW - -If you hunt about in the pools among the rocks when the tide goes out, -and look behind the masses of sea-weeds which cover them, you are quite -sure to find a good many crabs of several different kinds. Before I -tell you about these, however, I think you would like to know something -about the way in which these curious creatures grow. - -Remember, then, in the first place, that what we always call the -“shell” of a crab is not really a shell at all. That is, it is not in -the least like the shell of an oyster, or a periwinkle, or a cowry, or -a whelk. In these creatures the shell grows together with the animal -inside it, and is never thrown off all through their lives. But the -“shell” of a crab never grows at all. It is really a kind of crust -of lime on the outside of the skin, which will not even stretch in -the very least degree. So the only way in which crabs can grow is by -throwing off their “shells,” in order that the soft bodies underneath -may increase in size. - -So once in every year, until it reaches its full size, every crab has -to cast off its shelly covering and get a new one in its place. A few -days before the change takes place it always goes and hides away in -some dark crevice among the rocks, or behind an overhanging mass of -sea-weed, where none of its many enemies are likely to find it. It -knows perfectly well, you see, that while it is without its coat of -mail it will be quite helpless; for its claws will be so soft that it -will not be able to use them, while its body will be quite unprotected. -Then a very strange thing indeed takes place. Something like a third -part of its flesh turns into water! If you were to catch the animal at -this time and to shake it, you would be able to hear the water swishing -about inside its shell! Then it gets very restless indeed, and begins -to wriggle about a good deal, turning and twisting from side to side, -and rubbing its legs against one another, till it is quite tired out. -It then rests for a little while, and begins to wriggle and twist -about again. The fact is that it is trying to get loose, as it were, -inside its “shell.” After a time it succeeds in doing this, so that the -“shell” is no longer fastened to its body at all. Then, quite suddenly, -a rent opens right across its back, and the crab gathers itself -together and leaps, with a mighty effort, right out of its old coat! -And as soon as it has done so the rent closes up again, so that unless -you look very carefully indeed you cannot see it. You might really -think that two crabs were lying side by side together. - -For about a couple of hours the crab now lies perfectly still; and if -you were to feel it you would find that its body was hard and knotted -all over. That is because its muscles are cramped after the violent -efforts which it has been making. After a time, however, the cramp -passes off. Then the animal begins to grow. It grows very fast indeed. -In fact it grows so fast that you can almost see it growing, and in -less than twenty-four hours it is sometimes nearly half as big again as -it was before. A new “shell” then begins to form upon the skin, and in -about a couple of days more the animal is able to leave its retreat, -clothed once more in a suit of good stout armour. - -That is the way in which crabs, and lobsters, and shrimps, and prawns -all grow. Once in every year at least they get new “shells”; and every -time that they do so they increase in size. But after they reach a -certain age they grow no more; and the coats of mail which they are -wearing then are kept to the end of their lives. - - -HOW CRABS SEE - -Perhaps, too, you would like to know something about the eyes of crabs; -for these creatures see in a very odd way. On each side of the head is -a kind of stalk, something like those which you may see on the heads -of slugs and snails, only very much smaller. And at the tip of each -stalk is a small black spot. Now if you were to put one of these little -stalks under the microscope, and to look at the black spot, you would -find that it was made up of hundreds and hundreds of very tiny eyes, -very much like those of insects, except that instead of being six-sided -they are square. So that altogether, perhaps, a crab may have three or -four thousand eyes, or even more! - -That sounds a very large number, doesn’t it? But then, you see, a crab -cannot move its eyes up and down, and from side to side, as we can. -They are fixed, and cannot be moved at all. Each eye, however, looks in -rather a different direction from all the rest. Some eyes look upwards, -some look downwards, some look forwards, some look backwards, and some -look out on either side. So without moving its head at all the crab is -able to see all round it. - -Think of it in this way. - -Suppose that you take a telescope and look through it. You can only -see the objects at which the telescope is pointed, not the objects -above it, or below it, or on each side. But if you had four thousand -telescopes, fastened together in two bundles of a couple of thousand -telescopes each, all pointing in different directions, _and if your -eyes were made in such a way that you could look through all the -telescopes at once_: then you would be able to see all round you, -though you would only be able to look in any special direction through -just one or two of the telescopes. - -Now that is very much like the way in which the eyes of crabs are made. -Each of these four thousand eyes is really a kind of telescope. And as -they all point in different directions, the crab is able to see above -it and below it and on all sides, though it only looks at any special -object through one or two eyes. - - -HOW CRABS HEAR AND SMELL - -The way in which crabs hear and smell is almost as curious as the way -in which they see, for they have very odd little ears and noses in very -odd places. - -On its head, as perhaps you know, a crab has two pairs of feelers. We -call them the “lesser feelers” and the “greater feelers.” Now if you -were to look at the first joint of the lesser feelers through a good -microscope, you would find on each a little gland, or bag, containing a -very tiny drop of salt and water. These are the crab’s ears. Of course -they are not nearly so good as our ears are. Indeed, I do not think -that a crab can hear sounds in the air at all. But water carries sounds -much more readily than air does, so that if you were to dive into a -lake, or into the sea, on a calm, still day you could easily hear the -beat of the oars in a boat half a mile away. And the ears of the crab -are made in such a way that they can hear sounds in the water quite -well, even though they may be deaf to sounds in the air. - -Then if you look at the first joint of the greater feelers through the -microscope, you will see two other tiny glands. These are the crab’s -noses, by which it can smell odours in the water just as we can smell -odours in the air. It always seems to find its food by scent, and if -one of those basket-like traps which we call crab-pots is baited with -a few pieces of decaying fish and lowered into the sea, crabs will -smell the bait from quite a long distance away, and come hurrying up -to obtain a share in the banquet. And they seem to do so by means of -those odd little noses on the lower joints of their greater feelers. - - -PLATE XXI - -THE EDIBLE CRAB - -Now let me tell you something about the different kinds of crabs which -you may find on the shore. - -First of all, of course, there is the Edible Crab. This is the crab -which is so largely used for food, and which you may see in any -fishmonger’s shop. Sometimes it grows to a very great size, and has -claws so big and strong that if it were to seize a man by the wrist he -would find it very difficult indeed to set himself free. You will not -find crabs as big as this among the rocks, for these giant creatures -always live in rather deep water. But one often discovers a crab four -or five inches across hiding in a rock-pool, and even he is quite big -and strong enough to give one a very sharp nip. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXI - -THE EDIBLE CRAB.] - -It is rather amusing to get one of these crabs out on to the open sand, -and then to stand just in front of him. He will at once raise both his -great claws and hold them in readiness to strike at you if you attempt -to seize him. Then if you walk slowly round and round him he will -turn round and round too, so as to keep facing you, over and over -and over again. And if you put your hand anywhere near him he will snap -at it so quickly that it is really not at all easy to avoid his stroke. - -Edible crabs often have their shells covered with barnacles and the -tubes of some of the sea-worms. Old crabs, indeed, which no longer -change their coats of mail every year, are often so covered with these -creatures that one can hardly see their shells at all. - - -PLATE XXII - -THE SHORE CRAB (1) - -This is sometimes known as the Green Crab, because it is generally -more or less green in colour. But you may often find examples, which -are deep brown all over, while others are bright yellow, with black -markings upon their backs. It does not grow to nearly such a great size -as the edible crab, and although its flesh is quite good to eat there -is so little of it that the animal is hardly ever used for food. But it -is wonderfully strong, and if you find a green crab hiding beneath a -big stone or behind a mass of sea-weed, you must be very careful not to -get a nip from its claws. - -The green crab spends a great part of its life out of the water, for -its gills are made in such a manner that they will keep moist for a -very long time. And as long as its gills are damp a crab can breathe -quite as easily on land as if it were in the sea. It is very active, -and if you go down near the water’s edge while the tide is coming in -you may often see it hunting sandhoppers and even flies, creeping up -to them very carefully until it is only a few inches away, and then -pouncing upon them so suddenly that they have no time to escape. And it -is often very troublesome to fishermen, for it will seize their bait -with its strong nippers, and pull it off the hooks before a fish is -able to take it. - -This crab is very easily kept in confinement, and will soon become -quite tame, so that it will even come and take food from your fingers -just like a dog. But you must be careful to pile up a few stones in the -water in which you keep it, so that it may sit upon them and take an -airing whenever it feels inclined. And it will even enjoy an occasional -run about the room. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXII - -1. THE SHORE OR GREEN CRAB. - -2. THE FIDDLER CRAB.] - - -PLATE XXII - -THE FIDDLER CRAB (2) - -The crabs about which I have been telling you live in the sea, though -they often leave it for some little time and run about on the shore. -But none of them can swim, and if they are thrown into deep water they -just sink to the bottom with their legs sprawling, feeling about for -some object to which they can cling. Sometimes, however, if you look -into one of the pools which are left among the rocks when the tide -goes down, you may see a small crab swimming through the water with -some little speed. This is quite sure to be a Fiddler Crab, and if you -catch it and examine its hinder legs, you will find that instead of -being quite slender, with hooked claws at the tips, as they are in most -crabs, they are flattened out into broad, oval plates. And you will -also find that these plates have a fringe of rather long hairs growing -all round them. - -Now these are the paddles with which the crab rows itself through the -water, and it is called the “Fiddler Crab” because the movements which -it makes with them are rather like those of a man who is playing the -violin. You can easily keep it in an aquarium, and a very interesting -little pet it makes. But you must remember that it is a very savage -little animal, and will certainly do its best to kill any other -creatures that you may put into the same vessel. Even if you put two -fiddlers together they are almost sure to fight; and the one which wins -the battle will kill and eat the one which loses it. - -When the Fiddler Crab is alive it is really a very handsome little -creature, for its blackish shell is covered all over with soft, short -down, looking rather like velvet, while its legs are striped with blue, -and its claws are partly blue and partly scarlet. - - -PLATE XXIII - -THE MASKED CRAB (1) - -The broad shelly shield which covers the back of a crab is called the -“carapace,” and there are certain markings upon it which are rather -like the features of a human face. But there is one crab in which -these markings are so deep and strong that it looks just as if it were -wearing a mask. So it is always known as the “Masked Crab.” It is found -on the southern and western shores of England and Wales, and you may -always know it if you meet with it, not only because of the face-like -markings upon its back, but also because its carapace is a good deal -longer than it is broad, whereas in other crabs it is nearly always -broader than it is long. Besides this, the great claws are not really -“great” at all, for they are very long indeed and very slender, with -quite small nippers at the tips, while the greater feelers are quite as -long as the claws. So altogether the masked crab is a very odd-looking -crab indeed. But if you want to find it you will have to look for it -very carefully, for it has an odd way of burying itself in the sand, -and only leaving just its feelers and its eyes above the surface. - - -PLATE XXIII - -THE THORNBACK CRAB (2) - -This is perhaps the very oddest of all our British crabs. - -In the first place, it looks much more like a big spider than a crab; -for its body is very small, while its legs are very long and very -slender. Indeed, the group of crabs to which it belongs is often called -“spider crabs” in consequence. In the second place, its carapace is -covered all over with rather long sharp spikes, which project in all -directions, so that it strongly reminds one of a tipsy-cake! And, in -the third place, the crab nearly always has a number of tufts of -sea-weed or sponge growing upon its back. - -Perhaps you might think that these come there by accident. But they -do not. The crab himself plants them there! If you keep him in an -aquarium you may often see him doing so. First of all he turns one of -his long claws over his back and scratches away at the carapace, so as -to roughen the surface. Then he pulls up a little sprig of sea-weed -or sponge and actually plants it on his shell, pressing the rootlets -firmly down. And besides the spikes upon the shell there are numbers -of tiny hooks, which help to hold it in position. Then the crab plants -another piece of weed or sponge in just the same way, and so he goes on -planting piece after piece until his back is completely covered. - -Now why do you think he takes all this trouble? - -Well, the reason is that he does not want to be seen; for he has a -great many enemies, and he knows perfectly well that if he were to lie -among the sea-weeds or sponges at the bottom of the sea they would be -quite sure to notice him as they passed by, and then he would almost -certainly be killed and eaten. So he clothes himself with either -sea-weeds or sponges, as the case may be, and then feels that he is -perfectly safe, and that as long as he keeps quite still even the -sharpest eye will fail to notice him. And if you catch one of these -crabs which is covered with sea-weeds and put it into an aquarium in -which sponges are growing, it will very soon strip the weeds off its -back and cover itself with sponges instead; while if you catch one that -is covered with sponges, and put it into a tank in which sea-weeds are -growing, it will strip off the sponges and cover itself with sea-weeds! - -[Illustration: PLATE XXIII - -1. THE MASKED CRAB. - -2. THE THORNBACK CRAB.] - -The thornback crab often grows to a rather large size. Indeed, next to -the edible crab, it is the largest of all the crabs which are found -in our British seas, for its carapace is sometimes as much as eight -inches long and six inches wide, while its great claws may be fourteen -or fifteen inches in length. On some parts of the coast it is used for -food, but its flesh is rather coarse and of poor quality. - - -PLATE XXIV - -THE LONG-BEAKED SPIDER CRAB (1) - -This crab has an even smaller body in proportion to its size than the -thornback, and its legs are so very long and so very slender that they -remind one of those of a daddy-long-legs. Its carapace is drawn out -in front into a kind of beak, which is quite as long as the carapace -itself, and while the crab is alive it is of a most beautiful pink and -puce colour. It is not a very common creature, but is sometimes to be -found in the rocky pools near low-water mark on our southern coasts, -and is covered, very often, with sea-weeds or sponges, just like the -thornback. - - -PLATE XXIV - -THE FOUR-HORNED SPIDER CRAB (2) - -Perhaps this is the commonest of the British spider crabs. Indeed, it -is so plentiful at Bognor, and at other places on the southern coast -of England, that when a crab pot is taken out of the water as many -as twenty or even thirty of these creatures are sometimes found in -it. They are called by the fishermen “sea-spiders,” and are generally -so clothed with those odd sea-weeds called “corallines” that you can -hardly see any part of their “shells” at all. - -In this crab the carapace is drawn out in front into a very long beak -indeed, which has four horns upon it, and the whole upper surface is -covered with short, sharp spikes and stout hairs. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXIV - -1. THE LONG-BEAKED SPIDER CRAB. - -2. THE FOUR-HORNED SPIDER CRAB.] - - -PLATE XXV - -THE PEA CRAB (1) - -This is a very odd crab indeed. In the first place it is extremely -small. Even when it reaches its full size it is scarcely ever so much -as half-an-inch across, while its body is so round that it really does -remind one very much of a pea. Only it is not quite the right colour -for a pea, for it is creamy yellow instead of green. - -And, in the second place, this crab lives in a very odd place--namely, -inside the shells of living mussels, or pinnas, or even cockles! What -it does there nobody seems quite to know. It does not appear to injure -the animal to whom the shell belongs, although it is very fond of the -flesh of mussels, and if it finds one of those creatures lying dead -will certainly devour it. Perhaps it only creeps inside its shell for -the sake of safety. At any rate, it is a very timid little crab, and -if you open a mussel and find a pea crab lying hidden inside it, it -will tuck up all its legs quite close to its little round body and lie -perfectly still for several minutes in the hope that you will think -that it is dead. - -On some parts of the coast pea crabs are so plentiful, that three out -of four mussels are found to have one of these odd little creatures -inside it. - - -PLATE XXV - -CRAB CATERPILLARS (2 and 2 A) - -I dare say you did not know that crabs have caterpillars, just as -insects have. We call these crab caterpillars “zoeas,” and they are -not in the least like their parents. There are a great many different -kinds, of course, for every crab has its own zoea, just as every -butterfly and moth has its own caterpillar, and some of them are not -very much like some of the others. But they are always very tiny -indeed--they are scarcely as large, in fact, as the smallest grains of -sand--and they always have a very long curved horn in front of the body -and another one behind, and long waggly tails. And they swim in the -oddest way possible--by turning somersaults in the water, over and over -again! - -These zoeas are very useful little creatures, because they feed upon -the tiny scraps of decaying matter which are always floating about -in the sea, and so help to keep the water always pure. They belong, -in fact, to the great army of what I always like to call “nature’s -dustmen”--those little animals whose duty it is to clear away the -rubbish from the world. There are millions and millions of these busy -little workers on the land, and millions and millions of others in -ponds and rivers, as well as in the sea, and so well do they perform -their task that both the air and the water are always kept pure. - -Another very interesting fact about zoeas is that they form the chief -food of no less a creature than the Greenland whale. No doubt you know -that whales are of two kinds--those which have teeth, and those which -have none. Those which have teeth feed upon fishes, and giant cuttles, -and could easily swallow a man. But the whales which have no teeth -have throats so small that they would almost certainly be choked if -they tried to swallow a herring! So they have to feed on very small -creatures indeed, and are very fond of zoeas, which often swim about in -such vast shoals that the water of the sea is quite thick with them. -And they catch them in a most curious manner. - -You have heard, of course, of the very useful substance which we call -“whalebone;” and no doubt you know that it has nothing to do with the -bones of the whale at all. It is found in the mouths of those whales -which have no teeth, and hangs down in great plates from the gums of -their upper jaws. Very soon these plates split up; and then each part -splits up again; and so on, over and over again, till at their lower -ends they form a kind of thick fringe of close, matted hairs. - -Now it is by means of this fringe that the whale catches the zoeas. -When it meets with a shoal of these little creatures it opens its huge -mouth wide, and swims through them. Then it nearly closes its jaws, and -lets down the whalebone plates, so that the hairy fringe forms a kind -of strainer all the way round. It then squirts out the water from its -mouth through this fringe, which allows the water to pass through it, -but keeps back the zoeas; and when it has got rid of all the water it -closes its mouth completely and swallows the zoeas, a few thousand at a -time, after which it opens its jaws again, and swims through the shoal -once more. - -Doesn’t it seem strange that the biggest animal on earth should feed on -some of the very smallest? - - -PLATE XXV - -CRAB CHRYSALIDS (3 and 3 A) - -When the caterpillar of an insect has reached its full size it throws -off its skin and appears as a chrysalis, or pupa. And the caterpillar, -or zoea, of a crab does exactly the same thing. It casts its skin, and -appears in quite a different form. Only we do not call it a chrysalis, -as a rule. We call it a “Megalopa.” - -[Illustration: PLATE XXV - -1. PEA CRAB (life-size). - -2. CRAB CATERPILLAR (enlarged). - -2A. ” ” (life-size). - -3. CRAB CHRYSALIDS (enlarged). - -3A. ” ” (life-size).] - -The word “megalopa” means “a creature with big eyes,” and it is given -to the crab chrysalis because it has eyes which are enormously big -in proportion to the size of the head. They are set on long footstalks, -which project on either side, so that the head looks rather like a -hammer. Then the long curved horns which the zoea had are to be seen no -longer, and the carapace is shaped much more like that of the perfect -animal, while the great claws begin to show, and the legs increase in -length. The tail, however, is still quite free, like that of a lobster, -and the little animal still swims by turning somersaults in the water, -and lives on the same tiny scraps of decaying matter on which it fed as -a zoea. After a few weeks it throws off its skin once more, and appears -in the world as a perfect crab. - - -PLATE XXVI - -HERMIT CRABS (1 and 2) - -If you go down among the rocks when the tide is out, and hunt about in -the pools, you may often find the shell of a whelk in which a small -crab is living, with one of his great claws carefully guarding the -entrance. This is a Hermit Crab, and a very curious little creature he -is. For, in the first place, his long tail is quite free, like that of -a lobster, instead of being fastened down to the lower surface of his -body; and in the second place, it is quite soft, without any shelly -covering at all. His body and limbs are covered with armour, just like -those of other crabs, but his tail has none at all. - -The consequence is that the hermit crab always has to take the very -greatest care of his tail. He is so dreadfully afraid that one of -his many enemies will come up behind and give it a nip when he isn’t -looking! So he protects it by tucking it away into the empty shell of a -whelk. He never leaves this shell, but drags it about with him wherever -he goes. And if you take hold of him and try to pull him out, you will -find that you cannot do so without injuring him very badly. For at the -end of his tail he has a pair of strong pincer-like organs, with which -he holds on so firmly that it is very difficult indeed to make him let -go. - -Indeed, the only way to get a hermit crab out of his dwelling is to put -him, shell and all, into the spreading arms of a big sea anemone. That -frightens him almost out of his wits, for the arms of the anemone at -once come closing in, and he knows quite well that if he stays where -he is he will very soon be swallowed. So he skips out of the shell and -scampers away as fast as he possibly can, leaving the empty shell in -the anemone’s clutches. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXVI - -1. THE HERMIT CRAB IN WHELK-SHELL. - -2. THE HERMIT CRAB OUT OF SHELL.] - -The poor little animal is now perfectly miserable. He has no protection -for his tail, you see, and goes hunting about everywhere for some -other shell into which he can tuck it. After a while, perhaps, he finds -that of a periwinkle. It is not of much use, of course, for it is so -small that he can only get just the tip of his tail into it. Still, it -is better than nothing, and he goes crawling about with the periwinkle -shell on the end of his tail, like a thimble on the tip of one’s -finger, in search of a bigger one. By-and-by he discovers one. Then he -whips his tail out of the old shell and into the new one so quickly -that you can hardly see how he does it, and goes off to look for a -bigger shell still. And in this way he will change his dwelling perhaps -half-a-dozen times before he is really satisfied. - -Sometimes you may find a hermit crab with a sea anemone fastened to -the edge of the shell in which he is living. That seems strange, -doesn’t it, when you remember how terribly afraid the little animal -is of anemones. But in such a case the anemone never interferes with -the hermit crab, and the crab never interferes with the anemone, while -both of them benefit by the arrangement. The crab benefits, because -no fish will ever touch him so long as an anemone is attached to his -whelk-shell. There are plenty of fishes which would be quite ready to -gobble him up, whelk-shell and all, if it were not for this creature. -But fishes know quite well that sea anemones can sting, and therefore -never think of devouring them, no matter how hungry they may be; so -that so long as an anemone is guarding the whelk-shell in which he -lives, the hermit knows that he is perfectly safe. And the anemone -benefits, because it gets a share of the crab’s meals. When a hermit -crab finds the dead body of some small creature at the bottom of the -sea he pulls it to pieces and devours it; and as he does so a quantity -of tiny scraps are sure to come floating upwards, and are seized by the -outspread arms of the anemone. So the crab gets the big pieces, and the -anemone gets the little ones; and both are perfectly satisfied. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -LOBSTERS AND THEIR KIN - - -PLATE XXVII - -THE LOBSTER - -You are not at all likely to catch a lobster for yourself, for these -creatures live in deep water, and are only to be taken by means -of proper lobster-pots. But I must not pass the animal by without -mentioning it at all, for at any rate you will be quite sure to see it -on the slab of every fishmonger’s shop. - -Of course you know that a lobster is not red until it is boiled, but -is nearly black all over. And of course you know, too, that one of its -great claws is always a good deal larger and stouter than the other. -Sometimes people think that the reason of this is that at some previous -time the animal had lost one of his claws through some accident, and -was growing a new one, and that the new limb had not yet had time to -reach its full size. However, this is not the case, for one claw of -a lobster is always a good deal bigger than the other; and the real -reason is that the two claws are used for different purposes. The -larger claw is a weapon, with which the animal fights, while the -smaller one is an anchor, with which he clings to the weeds which grow -on the rocks at the bottom of the sea. And very often one is quite -twice as big as the other. - -Now I wonder whether you know how a lobster uses his tail. He employs -it in swimming, and if you look at it you will find that it is made of -several broad, flat plates, which can be spread out very much like the -joints of a fan. You will notice, too, that these joints have a fringe -of hairs growing all round them. Now when a lobster swims he just -stretches his body straight out, and then doubles it suddenly up. As -he does so the plates of the tail spread out, and form a kind of very -broad and powerful oar, which strikes the water with such force as to -drive the animal swiftly backwards. With a single stroke of its tail, -indeed, a lobster can dart to a distance of forty or fifty feet, and -that so quickly that even the swiftest fishes could scarcely overtake -him. - -Sometimes, however, a lobster swims forwards; and he does this by -means, not of his tail, but of five pairs of odd little organs -underneath the tail, which we call “swimmerets.” They spring from -either side of the soft hinges by which the joints of the tail are -fastened together, and each consists of two thin oval plates fringed -with long hairs. So each swimmeret really consists of two tiny paddles, -and by waving them to and fro in the water the lobster manages to -travel along with some little speed. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXVII - -THE LOBSTER.] - -These swimmerets are used for another purpose as well, however, for -the mother lobster always glues her eggs to the hairs with which they -are fringed, and carries them about with her for some little time. -Haven’t you noticed, when you have had shrimps for tea, that a good -many of them had clusters of eggs underneath their bodies? Well, if you -had put one of those shrimps under a microscope, and examined it very -carefully, you would have found that every one of the eggs was firmly -glued down to one of the hairs on its swimmerets, where it would have -remained until it was hatched. And lobsters carry their eggs about with -them in just the same way. - - -PLATE XXVIII - -THE PRAWN (1) - -If you go down among the rocks when the tide is out, and look into the -shallow pools which have been left among them by the retreating waves, -you are quite sure to see numbers of shadowy forms darting to and fro -through the water. A good many of these will be prawns, and if you -catch one or two of them in a small net, and examine them carefully, -you will find that they are very much like tiny lobsters. Indeed, if -you could magnify a prawn to the size of a lobster, or reduce a lobster -to the size of a prawn, it really would not be very easy to tell the -one from the other. - -But you will be surprised to see how different live prawns look from -the dead ones which you may see in a fishmonger’s shop. The fact is -that, like the lobster, they change colour when they are boiled. When -they are alive, indeed, they hardly have any colour at all, and are -nearly transparent. That is why it is so difficult to see them in the -water. And if you keep them in an aquarium, all that you can see of -them, very often, as they dart to and fro is just their glowing eyes, -which gleam in the water like tiny balls of fire. - -There are two facts about prawns which I am sure you will be interested -to know. - -The first is that they are extremely useful little creatures, for they -feed upon the bodies of the various small animals which die in the sea, -and so prevent them from becoming putrid and poisoning the water. And -the second is that they always take the greatest possible care to keep -themselves clean. If you take a few live prawns home, and put them in -an aquarium, you may often see them performing their toilets. Their -front legs are covered with stiff little hairs which stand out at right -angles, so that these limbs really form a pair of brushes. And with -them the prawn will clean its body most diligently, rubbing itself all -over until every little speck of dirt has been removed. And if any -object should cling to its body which these tiny brushes cannot rub -away, it will pull it off by means of the strong little pincers on the -second pair of legs. - -Do you want to know how to tell a prawn from a shrimp? - -Well, all that you have to do is to look in front of its head. There, -projecting from the edge of the “carapace,” or shield which covers the -back, you will see a long spike, something like a beak. Just put your -finger upon this, and feel the edge. If it is set with sharp little -teeth, like those of a saw, the animal is a prawn. But if the spike is -perfectly smooth, it is a shrimp. - - -PLATE XXVIII - -THE ÆSOP PRAWN (2) - -This is a much prettier creature than the common prawn, for its -transparent body is covered with scarlet lines, while its long -thread-like feelers have rings of the same colour round them at regular -distances apart. It is called the “Æsop” prawn because it has a big -hump on its back, just like the writer of the famous fables. - -If you want to catch an Æsop prawn you must look for it in the summer, -for it always spends the rest of the year in deeper water. But as soon -as the weather becomes really warm it travels up and down with the -tide, and you may find it in plenty in the pools which are left among -the rocks at low-water. - - -PLATE XXVIII - -THE SHRIMP (3) - -I told you that a good many of the shadowy forms which you may see -darting to and fro in the rock-pools are those of prawns. The rest are -quite sure to be shrimps, which are very much more common. Indeed, -in most of the rock-pools you will find at least ten shrimps for -every prawn. But they are very difficult to see, for they are partly -transparent when they are alive, so that they are scarcely visible -when they are swimming. And when they are resting at the bottom of the -pool their speckled bodies look almost exactly like the sand on which -they lie. Besides this, they have a way of nearly burying themselves, -by scooping out a kind of furrow with their hind limbs, sinking into -it, and then covering themselves with sand by means of their -feelers. So the fishermen often call them “sand-raisers.” - -[Illustration: PLATE XXVIII - -1. THE PRAWN. - -2. THE ÆSOP PRAWN. - -3. THE SHRIMP.] - - -PLATE XXIX - -THE SANDHOPPER (1 and 1 A) - -Commoner even than the shrimps are the Sandhoppers. On any sandy part -of the shore you may find them in thousands and thousands. If you walk -along the beach where the sand is dry, and step rather heavily, you -will see their holes opening all round you. If you walk along it where -it is damp, you will find that it is honeycombed with their burrows. If -you turn over a stone, or lift up a piece of sea-weed which has been -thrown up by the waves, twenty, or thirty, or forty of them will come -skipping out like so many tiny kangaroos. And if you walk near the edge -of the water when the tide is coming in you may often see them leaping -about in such vast numbers that they look just like a thick mist rising -for a foot or eighteen inches into the air. - -Yet sandhoppers have so many enemies that it really seems wonderful -that any of them should be left alive at all. Nearly all the shore -birds feast upon them, and so do many of the land birds. Indeed, when -the tide is rising, you may often see a long line of birds standing -closely side by side together a few feet in front of the water’s edge -and gobbling up the active little creatures in thousands. Then the -shore crabs are very fond of them, and destroy thousands more. And even -when they are buried deeply in the sand they are not safe, for there is -a little beetle which goes down their burrows after them, and catches -and eats them there very much as a ferret catches a rabbit in its hole. - -But it is just as well that they do not all get eaten, for sandhoppers -are very useful little creatures indeed. They feed upon the masses of -decaying sea-weed which are constantly flung up on the shore by the -waves. For they, too, belong to the great army of “Nature’s Dustmen,” -like the “zoeas” of the crabs and lobsters, and help to clear away -all kinds of rubbish which would poison the air and the water if it -were left to decay. Indeed, they will eat almost anything, and if -you were to tie up a number of sandhoppers in your handkerchief, and -leave them there for a few minutes, you would never be able to use the -handkerchief again; for you would find that their sharp little jaws had -nibbled it into holes. - -If you watch a sandhopper carefully when it is skipping about, you will -find that it leaps by doubling its body up, and then straightening it -out again with a sudden jerk. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXIX - -1. SANDHOPPER (enlarged). - -1A. ” (life-size). - -2. SAND SCREW (enlarged). - -2A. ” (life-size).] - - -PLATE XXIX - -THE SAND SCREW (2 and 2 A) - -If you follow the tide as it goes out on a still day, you will notice -that it leaves the sand quite smooth behind it. But if you come to -the same spot about half-an-hour later, you will often find that it -is marked by numbers of winding tracks, which look just as if they -had been made by worms. These, however, are the work of the Sand -Screw, a curious little creature which in many ways is very much like -a sandhopper. But instead of sinking its burrows almost straight -downwards into the sand, as sandhoppers do, it drives them along almost -as a mole does, just below the surface. - -If you stand quite still for a few minutes near the water’s edge, when -the tide is going out, you may sometimes see this odd little creature -at work; for as it pushes its way along it raises the sand into a kind -of low tunnel, which generally falls in behind it, and so forms a -groove. And if you suddenly turn over the sand in front of the tunnel -you will find the little animal which was making it, and will see at -once why it is called the “sand screw.” For instead of skipping about -like a sandhopper, it will lie on one side and wriggle its way along -with a curious “screwing” movement, just as though it were trying to -bore its way into the sand. - - -PLATE XXX - -ACORN SHELLS (1) - -If you examine the rocks which are left dry when the tide goes out, -you will often find that they are covered almost all over with small -shells which look rather like those of tiny limpets. Only at the top of -each shell there is a little hole, from the margin of which a number of -ridges run down to the bottom. And these ridges are so sharp, that if -you happen to slip when you are wandering about among the pools, and -catch at a rock to save yourself, they will cut your fingers almost as -if they were knives. - -These creatures are generally known as “Acorn Shells,” and I dare say -that you might think that they must be very closely related to the -limpets. But in reality they are much more closely related to the -shrimps and sandhoppers, though they look so very unlike them, and lead -such different lives. For while shrimps and sandhoppers are always -swimming or skipping about, the little animals which live inside these -acorn shells never move at all after they are a few days old, but -spend their whole lives fastened down to the surface of the rocks. But -there is this great difference between the two. When the eggs of a -limpet hatch, out come a number of very tiny limpets, just like their -parent in everything except size. But when the eggs of an acorn shell -hatch, the little creatures which come out from them are not like their -parents at all. They are “zoeas,” in fact, or acorn shell caterpillars; -and they do not reach their perfect form for some little time. - -When these little “zoeas” first make their appearance in the world -they are able to swim about by means of three pairs of tiny feathery -legs, with which they paddle their way along through the water. And -they also have a round black eye in the middle of the body, with which -they can see quite well. Every two or three days they throw off their -skins, just as caterpillars do, and appear in new ones, which have -been gradually forming beneath. And each time that they do this their -shape changes. At last they are ready to take their perfect form. Then -each of the little creatures clings to the surface of a rock by means -of its feelers, and pours out a kind of cement, which hardens round -them, and anchors it firmly down. It then throws off its skin once -more, and appears in the form of an acorn shell just like its parent. -And, strange to say, it throws off its eye at the same time, and is -perfectly blind for the rest of its life! - -If you look down into a shallow pool, the rocky sides of which are -covered with these acorn shells, you may often see a very pretty sight. -You may see the little animals fishing. Out from the hole at the top of -each shell comes a kind of little net, which sweeps through the water, -and is then drawn back into the shell. This net is really formed by the -limbs, which are fringed with long hairs, and as it passes through the -water it collects the little tiny scraps of decaying matter on which -the animal feeds. - -You may find these acorn shells in great numbers, not only on the rocks -which are left dry when the tide goes out, but also on the wooden -beams which support piers and jetties. Indeed, these beams are often -so closely covered with the odd little shells that you cannot see the -surface of the wood at all. And very often they fasten themselves to -the shells of limpets and oysters, and even on the backs of crabs. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXX - -1. ACORN SHELLS. - -2. SHIP BARNACLES.] - - -PLATE XXX - -SHIP BARNACLES (2) - -These creatures are first-cousins, so to speak, of the acorn shells, -and they are called “Ship Barnacles” because they are so very fond of -fastening themselves to the bottoms of ships. Even after two or three -months, indeed, the hull of a vessel is often quite covered with them -below the water-line, and they check her speed so greatly that she has -to be taken into dock to have them scraped off before she can set out -upon another voyage. - -You may generally find quite a number of these barnacles on the pieces -of timber which are so often flung up by the waves after a storm. And -you will notice that each of them grows, as it were, upon a kind of -stalk, instead of being fastened down to the surface of the wood, as -the acorn shells are upon the rocks. This stalk consists of the pillar -of cement with which the little animal covered its feelers just before -it changed its form for the last time. - -There are a good many other kinds of barnacles, some of which are -found in very odd places. There is one, indeed, which always lives on -the backs of whales, and somehow manages to sink itself quite deeply -into their skins! - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE SEA WORMS - - -PLATE XXXI - -THE SEA MOUSE (1) - -If you go down among the rocks when the tide is out, and hunt in the -muddy pools near low-water mark, you will be almost sure to find a very -odd-looking creature indeed. It is generally between three or four -inches long, and although it is called a “Sea Mouse” it looks very much -more like a hairy slug; for its whole body is covered with a matted -coat of bristles. But it is really a kind of sea worm. And it looks -just about as dull and dingy as any creature can possibly be. - -Yet in reality it is one of the most beautiful animals which are found -in the sea, and if you want to see its beauty, all that you have to do -is to wash it. For the bristly coat which covers its body is a kind -of filter, which strains out the mud from the water which passes to -the gills; and it soon becomes so choked with mud that you cannot see -what the animal is really like at all. All that it wants, however, is -a really good bath: so just take it to a pool of clear sea-water, and -rinse it thoroughly. Then take it to another pool, and rinse it again. -Then take it to a third pool, and rinse it again; and go on rinsing it -till every atom of mud has been washed out of its hairy coating. And -then, if you look at it in the bright sunshine, I am quite sure that -you will be astonished to find what a lovely creature it really is. For -all the colours of the rainbow, and ever so many more besides, seem -to be chasing one another over its bristles, and altering with every -movement and every change of light. Doesn’t it seem strange that an -animal so beautiful as this should live with all its beauty covered up, -so that hardly any eye can ever see it? - -But these bristles have another use besides that of a filter. Each of -them is really a kind of long, slender spear with a barbed tip, which -can be used as a weapon of defence. If you were to look at one of these -bristly spears through a good strong microscope you would see that it -was edged on both sides with sharp little hooked teeth, looking very -much like those of a shark. But you need not be in the least afraid -to handle a sea mouse, for although these slender spears look so -formidable, they are not nearly strong enough to pierce your skin. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXI - -1. THE SEA MOUSE. - -2. THE SABELLA.] - - -PLATE XXXI - -THE SABELLA (2) - -A good many different kinds of worms live on the sea-shore, and one of -the most curious of these is the Sabella. For it lives in long, narrow -tubes made of tiny grains of sand, which it sticks together with a kind -of natural glue. You may find these tubes in great numbers just about -low-water mark, and hundreds and hundreds of them are often twisted up -together in great masses, which are sometimes several feet in diameter. -The worms can travel up and down these tubes by means of tufts of stiff -little bristles on each side of their bodies; and sometimes they will -leave them altogether, crawl about on the sand for a little while, and -then make new ones. And if you keep them alive in a glass vessel filled -with sea-water, with a little sand at the bottom, you can watch them -building their wonderful tubes, carefully choosing grains of sand of -just the proper size, arranging them in position just as a bricklayer -lays bricks, and then sticking them firmly together. - - -PLATE XXXII - -THE SERPULA (1 and 2) - -If you look down into the pools among the rocks when the tide is out -you may often see a number of long, twisted tubes fastened to the -surface of the stones at the bottom. These are the dwellings of a very -curious sea-shore worm called the Serpula, and if you lift one of the -stones out of the water, and look down into the tubes, you will nearly -always see a bright scarlet object lying just beneath the entrance. And -then you may be quite sure that the animal is alive. - -Now suppose that you carry the stone home with you, just as it is, -and put it into a vessel of sea-water. After an hour or two you will -find that the little scarlet objects have been poked out of the tubes, -and that they are really tiny stoppers, just like little corks, which -exactly fit the entrance when they are pulled inside. And you will also -find that a plume of feathery objects, which are also bright scarlet in -colour, is projecting out of the mouth of each tube. These red plumes -are the gills of the worms, and they will often remain spread for hours -at a time. But if you startle the animals--if your shadow falls upon -them, for instance--they will draw themselves down into their tubes in -about half a quarter of a second, and every tube will be corked up -by its tiny stopper, just as before. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXII - -1. THE SERPULA. - -2. SERPULAS IN TUBES.] - -On the sides of its body the serpula has tufts of little bristly hairs, -just as the sabella has, which allow it to move up and down its tube. -But in order to enable it to draw itself back as quickly as possible -in moments of danger, it has a row of little hooked teeth on its back, -by means of which it can take a firm hold of the lining of its burrow. -I think you will be rather surprised when I tell you how many of these -teeth there are in the row. Just fancy! Each serpula has between -thirteen and fourteen thousand! - -If you look at the oysters in a fishmonger’s shop, you may often see -the tubes of these curious worms fastened to the surface of the shells. - - -PLATE XXXIII - -THE TEREBELLA (1) - -This is another of the worms which live in tubes. You can generally -find its wonderful little dwellings by hunting in the small puddles of -sea-water which are left on the sands when the tide goes out. And you -can always tell them from those of the sabella and the serpula by the -curious little fringe round the entrance, which is made of the tiniest -grains of sand fastened together into slender threads. The tube itself -is made of larger grains, and is so tough and leathery that you can -give it quite a hard pull without breaking it. But as it is at least a -foot long, and is nearly always carried down underneath rocks or big -stones, you will not find it at all easy to dig it up. And the moment -that you alarm the little animal inside it always makes its way right -down to the very bottom of its tube. - -Sometimes a terebella will leave its tube and go for a little swim in -the pool, wriggling its way through the water by first doubling its -body up and then stretching it out, over and over again. But it very -soon gets tired with its exertions, and sinks down to the bottom of the -pool to rest. Then, after awhile, it will set busily to work, and make -a new tube to live in instead of the old one. - -There is another kind of terebella, called the Shell-binder, which -makes its tube of little bits of broken shell instead of grains of -sand. You may find the ends of these tubes sticking up out of the sand -about half-way between high and low-water mark. But they run down so -deeply that you will have to dig very hard indeed if you want to get -them out of the ground. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXIII - -1. THE TEREBELLA. - -2. THE LUG WORM.] - - -PLATE XXXIII - -THE LUG WORM (2) - -On any muddy stretch of beach, when the tide is out, you may see -numbers and numbers of little twisted casts, just like those which you -may find on the lawn in the garden on any warm damp morning. These are -made by Lug Worms, or “logs,” as the fishermen generally call them, and -they really consist of sand which the worm has swallowed during the -last three or four hours. For lug worms burrow by swallowing mouthful -after mouthful of sand, until they can swallow no more. They eat their -way down into the sand, in fact, just as earth-worms eat their way down -into the ground. And when their bodies are quite filled with sand, they -come up to the entrances of their burrows and pour it out in the little -twisty coils which everybody who has walked on the shore knows so well -by sight. - -If you take a spade and dig down into the muddy sand you can find these -worms in great numbers. They are just about as big as earth-worms, and -are of all sorts of colours, some being brown, and some dark green, and -some purple, and some crimson. But on each side of the body they always -have thirteen pairs of bright scarlet tufts. These are the little gills -by means of which they breathe, and if you put them under a microscope -they look just like tiny bushes with brilliant red leaves. - -You would think, perhaps, that when a lug worm bores its way through -the loose sand, the sides of its burrow would fall in behind it as -fast as it passed along. But from the surface of its body it pours out -a thin, sticky liquid which binds the sand together, and forms a kind -of lining to the burrow, like the brickwork of a railway tunnel. The -burrow is generally about two feet deep, and the worm always lives in -it with its head downwards. The worm itself, when fully grown, is from -six to ten inches long. - - -PLATE XXXIV - -THE NEMERTES (1) - -This is quite one of the most curious creatures to be found on the -sea-shore. It hides under large stones at the bottom of the pools, -and looks rather like a tangled boot-lace. But it is really a kind -of leech-like worm, and the wonderful thing about it is that it can -stretch its body out to almost any length, just as if it were made of -elastic. It always does this in catching its prey, which it seizes by -means of its sucker-like mouth, which has a kind of beak inside it. -Then it “plays” its victim just as an angler “plays” a fish, sometimes -stretching its body out to a length of fifteen or twenty feet, then -drawing it in again to a length of three or four, and so on over and -over again, until its prisoner is quite exhausted, when it proceeds to -devour it. - - -PLATE XXXIV - -THE NEREIS (2) - -The Nereis is a very common sea-side worm, and you can nearly always -find it by turning over the stones on the shore as the tide goes out. -It is brown in colour, with a dark red line along the back; and if you -look at it in the sunlight you will see flashes of bright blue playing -over the surface of its skin. And underneath it is of the most delicate -pink, with a glossy look which reminds one of mother-of-pearl. It is -one of the largest of all the worms, for it often grows to a length of -nearly two feet. - -If you examine the back of a nereis, you will find a row of little -tufted organs running right along it. Each of these really consists of -two little flaps, which are folded together as long as the worm remains -still. But as soon as it begins to swim they open out and wave up and -down in the water; for they are really tiny paddles, by means of which -the nereis rows itself along. Altogether there are about four hundred -pairs of these little flaps, which move in perfect time together, -just like the oars of a well-rowed boat. Perhaps you may have seen a -boat-race, and you noticed, no doubt, how all the eight oars rose and -fell exactly at the same instant, as regularly as if they were moved by -machinery. Well, imagine a very long boat indeed rowed by four hundred -little rowers instead of only by eight, and each with two oars instead -of one, and then you will have some idea of what a nereis looks like as -it goes swimming through the water. - -This curious worm does not live only under stones, for it is sometimes -found hiding in the whelk shells which are occupied by hermit crabs, -the worm and the crab living in the same shell together, and never -seeming to interfere with one another. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXIV - -1. THE NEMERTES. - -2. THE NEREIS.] - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -STARFISHES - - -STARFISHES’ LEGS - -Of course you know starfishes very well indeed by sight, for they are -flung up in numbers on the beach by almost every tide. But I wonder if -you know where their legs are! - -Perhaps you did not know that they have any legs. But they have -hundreds and hundreds of them. Only, instead of keeping their legs -outside their bodies, as we keep ours, starfishes always keep them -inside, and poke them out through little holes in the skin when they -are required for use. - -If you want to see the legs of a starfish, you can very easily do so. -First of all, you must catch a starfish, and make quite sure that he is -alive. You can easily find out that by picking him up. If his rays are -quite limp and flabby, and hang downwards from the disc, or middle part -of his body, so that they look rather like the legs of a table, he is -dead, and you can throw him away. But if they stand out stiffly he is -alive. Then just put him into a pool of sea-water, and wait. After a -few minutes you are almost sure to see that he is moving. Very slowly -he begins to glide along the bottom of the pool. If he comes to a -stone, he glides over it. If he comes to a rock, he glides up it. Then, -if you suddenly snatch him out of the water, and turn him upside down, -you will see his legs--little white fleshy objects waving about all -over the lower surface of his body. And if you look at them through a -good strong magnifying-glass, you will see that each one has a kind of -little cup at the end of a slender stem. - -Now this cup is really a sucker, very much like the suckers of a -cuttle, only of course a great deal smaller. And the starfish walks by -pushing one or two of its rays forward, taking hold of the ground with -the suckers underneath them, and then pulling up the hinder rays and -taking hold with the suckers underneath those, and so on over and over -again. - - -PLATE XXXV - -THE FIVE-FINGER STARFISH (1) - -This is by far the commonest of all the starfishes. You can seldom -walk for even a short distance along the shore without seeing it. And -no doubt you might think that it must be a very harmless creature -indeed, for it does not look as if it could injure any other animal -in any way at all. Yet it is really a creature of prey, and feeds -upon shell-bearing molluscs, such as small bivalves, which it always -swallows whole. Then, when it has digested their bodies, it returns -their empty shells through its mouth. And it can even eat such big -creatures as mussels and oysters. Indeed, starfishes are the very worst -enemies of the oyster-beds, and in one fishery alone, on the coast of -North America, they are said to destroy more than ten thousand pounds’ -worth of oysters every year! - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXV - -1. THE FIVE-FINGERED STARFISH. - -2. THE BIRD’S-FOOT STARFISH.] - -A very strange fact about the starfish is that if one of its rays is -cut off, a new one very soon grows in its place. Stranger still, if one -of these creatures is cut in two, each half begins to throw out new -rays, and in a few weeks’ time there are two starfishes instead of only -one! That seems impossible; doesn’t it? But yet it is perfectly true. - -And another very curious fact about starfishes is that they keep their -eyes in very odd places--at the very tips of the rays. And in some -starfishes these eyes are furnished with lids, which can be opened and -shut! - - -PLATE XXXV - -THE BIRD’S-FOOT STARFISH (2) - -This is a very curious starfish, and a very handsome one as well. It -is curious, because its five rays are all joined together by membrane, -very much like the toes on a duck’s foot. That is why it is called the -“bird’s-foot” starfish. And it is handsome, because it has a scarlet -centre, a scarlet line all round the margin, and another one down the -inner margin of each ray, all the rest of the body being bright orange. - -The bird’s-foot starfish is not very often seen, for it lives some -little way below low-water mark. But sometimes, when there has been a -violent storm at a season of spring-tide--and you will remember that -spring-tides come whenever there is a new moon or a full moon--it is -flung upon the beach by the retreating waves, and you may find it lying -on the sand when the tide is out. - - -PLATE XXXVI - -THE SUN STARFISH - -Sometimes you may find a very much larger and handsomer starfish lying -upon the shore. It has twelve rays instead of five, and is often as -much as eight or ten inches across. In fact, it looks very much like a -big sunflower. Generally it is bright scarlet in colour, but just now -and then one finds a sun starfish with a violet tinge; and sometimes, -while the middle part of the body is vermilion red, the rays are pale -rose-colour, or even pink. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXVI - -THE SUN STARFISH.] - -Like most of the starfishes, this animal has a very curious way of -protecting its eggs for some little time after they are laid. It heaps -them all up together into a pile, and then bends its rays downwards in -such a way that it stands upon their tips, looking just like a little -table with twelve very stout legs! It turns itself into a sort of cage, -in fact, with the eggs inside it, and so guards them carefully until -they hatch. - - -PLATE XXXVII - -THE BRITTLE STARFISH - -The Brittle Starfish is certainly the very oddest of all odd creatures, -for it not only grows new rays if the old ones should be torn off, but -actually breaks itself into pieces if it is startled or alarmed! And it -is such a timid animal that a slight touch, or even a shadow suddenly -falling upon it, will alarm it! Then it gives a kind of shudder, and -shatters itself into little bits, nothing being left but the central -disc and a heap of fragments! However, it does not appear to suffer -any pain, or to lose any blood, and the five wounds on the disc very -quickly heal. Then after a few days five little buds begin to show -themselves, which quickly grow into new rays, and in a few weeks’ time -the brittle starfish is as perfect as ever! - -So ready are these creatures to break themselves up, that it is most -difficult to obtain a perfect brittle starfish for a museum. - -Brittle starfishes are very active animals, and when they are alive -their long slender rays are always wriggling and coiling and twisting -about, hardly ever seeming to be still for a single moment. Indeed, one -naturalist compares a brittle starfish to five very long and active -centipedes stitched to a tiny pin-cushion! - -There are several different kinds of these very curious animals, most -of which live at some little distance below low-water mark, and are -hardly ever caught except by means of the dredge. But sometimes you may -find one of them lying on the sand at the bottom of a pool among the -rocks. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXVII - -THE BRITTLE STARFISH.] - - -PLATE XXXVIII - -THE SEA URCHIN (1 and 2) - -The “urchin,” as of course you know, is a common country name for the -hedgehog; and the Sea Urchin is so called because it is covered all -over with long spikes, just as a hedgehog is. These spines, however, -are very easily broken off, and when the animal dies, and its empty -shell is tossed to and fro by the waves, they are knocked off in a very -short time; so that when you meet with a sea urchin’s shell lying upon -the shore you nearly always find that it is covered with nothing more -than hundreds of very tiny pimples. - -Now it is upon these little pimples that the spines grow. If you were -to examine one of the spines with a magnifying-glass you would find -that its base was hollow. This hollow base is just large enough to fit -over one of the pimples, to which it is fastened by a strong but rather -elastic muscle. So a sea urchin is able to move its spines about quite -freely. Indeed, it sometimes walks with them as well as with the little -sucker-feet, which it pokes out through tiny holes in the shell just as -a starfish does, moving a few forward at a time, and so hitching its -way along over the sand at the bottom of the sea. - -If you succeed in finding a live sea urchin--and you can generally do -so without very much trouble, by hunting in the pools among the rocks -when the tide is out--you will notice that it has a very big mouth, -with five perfectly enormous teeth. They are so huge, indeed, that if -you had teeth as big, in proportion to your size, they would be about -as large as good big carving-knives! - -On some parts of the coast sea urchins are eaten as food, being scooped -out of their shells with a spoon, just as we eat a boiled egg at -breakfast. For this reason they are sometimes known as “sea eggs,” and -those who have tried them say that they are very good indeed. - -You would hardly think, perhaps, that a sea urchin and a starfish could -be related to one another, for they do not look in the least alike. -But if you take an urchin which has lost its spines, and examine it -carefully, you will see that it is really a kind of rolled-up starfish, -and you will be able to count its five rays quite easily. - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXVIII - -1. THE SEA URCHIN WITHOUT SPINES. - -2. THE SEA URCHIN WITH SPINES.] - -There is just one more thing that I must tell you about these very -curious creatures, and that is that they are very fond of covering -themselves all over with small stones, and little bits of broken shell, -and tiny pieces of sea-weed, in order that they may not be noticed. -They do this in a very odd way. I told you that they have numbers -of little sucker-feet, which they poke out through tiny holes in their -shells when they are required for use, just as the starfishes do. -Well, when they want to disguise themselves, they just push out two or -three hundred of these slender sucker-feet between their spines, and -take firm hold with them of any small objects that may be lying within -reach. In this manner they soon succeed in covering themselves all -over, and you might easily look at one of them as it lay at the bottom -of a rock-pool without recognising it at all. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -SEA CUCUMBERS AND JELLYFISHES - - -PLATE XXXIX - -THE SEA CUCUMBER (1) - -If you grope about in the dark nooks and corners of a rock-pool, quite -close down to the water’s edge, when the tide is out, you may perhaps -find a curious little creature which looks rather like a greyish-white -cucumber, with an odd feathery tuft at one end of its body. This is -a Sea Cucumber, or Sea Gherkin, and is chiefly remarkable because it -seems to suffer very much at times from eating something which does -not agree with it. Then it cures itself in a very odd way indeed. It -gets rid of almost all the inside of its body, reducing itself to very -little more than an empty bag of skin, with just a little tuft at one -end! It throws off its teeth, it throws off the lining of its throat, -it throws off all its digestive organs. You would think that it would -kill itself by doing this, wouldn’t you? But it does not. And before -very long new teeth, a new throat lining, and new digestive organs -grow in the place of the old ones, so that in a few weeks’ time the -animal is just as perfect as it was before! - -[Illustration: PLATE XXXIX - -1. SEA CUCUMBER. - -2. THE COMMON JELLYFISH.] - -It seems rather hard to believe that an animal can treat itself in such -a manner as this, and yet continue to live, doesn’t it? But remember -that “truth is stranger than fiction,” and that some of the strangest -animals of all are found among those which live in the sea. - - -PLATE XXXIX - -JELLYFISHES (2) - -Jellyfishes are among the very oddest creatures which are found in the -sea; for their bodies are made up almost entirely of sea-water! It is -quite true, of course, that if you cut them in two the water does not -run away. But then if you cut a cucumber in two the water does not run -away; and yet cucumbers are made almost entirely of water. And the -reason why it does not run away is just the same in each case. Both -in the cucumber and in the jellyfish the water is contained in a very -large number of very tiny cells; and if you cut either of them across -you only divide a very small number of the cells, so that only a very -small quantity of water escapes. But if you leave a jellyfish lying on -the beach in the hot sunshine, and come back to look for it two or -three hours later, you will not find it. All that you will find will be -a ring-shaped mark in the sand, showing where the jellyfish had been -lying, with just a few threads of animal matter in the middle. All the -rest will have evaporated, because it was nothing else but water. - -All the same, jellyfishes are very wonderfully made; and perhaps the -most wonderful thing of all about them is the fringe of long, slender -threads which hangs down from the edges of their bodies. For these are -the fishing-lines by means of which they catch their prey. Jellyfishes -feed on all sorts of tiny creatures--the fry of fishes, and the zoeas -of shrimps and prawns, for instance--and if you were to see one of -these swim up against those terrible threads, you would notice that it -at once became paralysed, and that in a very few moments it would be -dead. The fact is that all the way along these threads are set with -hundreds and hundreds of tiny oval cells, each of which has a very -slender dart, with a barbed tip, coiled up like a watch-spring inside -it. And the cells are made in such a way that as soon as they are -touched they fly open, and the little darts leap out. So, you see, if -any small creature swims up against the threads numbers of darts at -once bury themselves in its body. And, as these darts are poisoned, it -dies in a very short time. - -Jellyfishes can swim through the water by spreading and contracting -their umbrella-shaped bodies, and you may sometimes see them travelling -about in such enormous numbers that the water is perfectly thick with -them. - - -PLATE XL - -THE STINGING JELLYFISH (1) - -Sometimes, after a strong south-westerly wind has been blowing for a -day or two in the early part of the autumn, you may find a brownish -yellow jellyfish lying upon the shore. It has a circular body about -as big as a soup-plate, fringed all the way round with great masses -of long yellow hairs. And if you find one of these creatures you are -almost sure to find another before very long, and then another, and -then another; for they nearly always swim about in shoals together. - -Now, if you do meet with one of these jellyfishes, be very careful -not to touch it with your bare hands. And if you should happen to be -bathing, and to see one floating in the water near you, just get out -of its way as fast as you possibly can. For those long yellow threads -which hang down from the margin of its body sting just like nettles, -and the least touch from them will cause a great deal of pain. If you -have a thin skin, indeed, the sting of this terrible jellyfish may make -you very seriously ill, and several weeks may pass before the effects -of the poison pass away. - -Yet the fishing-threads of this jellyfish are scarcely thicker than -hairs, and the little darts which do so much mischief are so slender -that you cannot see them at all without the help of a good strong -microscope. Doesn’t it seem strange that such tiny weapons can be so -dreadfully poisonous? - - -PLATE XL - -THE SEA ACORN (2) - -This is a very common jellyfish indeed; yet hardly anybody ever sees -it. That is because it is very small and very transparent, so that as -it swims about in the water it is almost invisible. And if it is flung -up on the beach it dries up in a very few minutes. But if you want to -look at it, you can very easily do so. On a warm, still day, when the -sea is quite smooth, just dip a small net into the water, and work it -gently to and fro. Then lift it out and examine the sides carefully, -and you are almost sure to see three or four little lumps of jelly, -not much bigger than peas. These are sea acorns, and if you put -them into a glass vessel of perfectly clean sea-water, you will very -soon find that they are swimming about. For though you cannot see the -animals themselves, which are quite as transparent as the water, you -will notice little flashes of coloured light, sometimes blue, sometimes -green, sometimes yellow, and sometimes red, which just gleam out for -about half a quarter of a second, and then disappear. You might almost -think that a tiny rainbow had been dissolved in the water. - -[Illustration: PLATE XL - -1. THE STINGING JELLYFISH. - -2. THE SEA ACORN.] - -The fact is this. Running round the oval body of the sea acorn are -eight narrow bands, and on each of these are a number of very tiny -scales, placed one above another, which keep on rising and falling -again, like so many little trap-doors. These scales are really paddles, -by means of which the animal drives itself through the water, and as -they move up and down they catch the rays of light and break them up, -just like that triangular piece of glass which we call a “prism.” And -though you cannot see the jellyfish itself you can see these little -flashes of coloured light, and so can trace the course of the little -creature as it travels slowly along. - -This curious jellyfish has only two fishing-threads, which hang down -from the lower part of its body. But from each of these a number of -little side-threads spring out, just like the “snoods” on the lines -which fishermen use in the sea. And the animal is always throwing these -out and drawing them in again, so that it really “fishes” for the tiny -little creatures on which it feeds. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -SEA ANEMONES - - -HOW SEA ANEMONES ARE FORMED - -The most beautiful of all the creatures which live in the sea are -undoubtedly the Sea Anemones, which are just like living flowers of -all sorts of lovely colours. But I do not know why they are called -sea “anemones,” for they are much more like asters, or dahlias, or -chrysanthemums. - -These anemones are made in a very curious way. You will notice, as -you look down into a rock-pool, that their soft fleshy arms, or -“tentacles,” are all spread out like the petals of a flower. If you -touch them, however, they at once come closing in and disappear, so -that in two or three moments the creatures look like mere lumps of -coloured jelly. But if you wait for a little while they will push out -their tentacles again, and spread them just as before. - -The fact is that the body of a sea anemone is a kind of double bag. -Suppose you take a paper bag, twist up the mouth, and push it -downwards, so that the sides of the bag surround it all the way round. -You will then have two bags, as it were, one inside the other, the -space between the two being filled with air. Now that is just the way -in which the body of a sea anemone is formed, with this difference, -that the space between the outer bag and the inner one is filled with -water. It forms, in fact, a kind of water-jacket. - -Next, remember that all those spreading tentacles are really tubes, -like the fingers of a glove, closed at the top, but opening at the -bottom into this water-jacket. And remember also that the outer walls -of the body are formed of very strong muscles. So, you see, when -the anemone wants to spread its tentacles, all that it has to do is -to contract these muscles. The water is then squeezed up into the -tube-like tentacles, which of course expand. When it wants to close -them it relaxes the pressure, and the water flows out of the tubes -again and back into the water-jacket, so that they all come folding in. - -The lower part of an anemone’s body is called the “foot,” and is really -a big and strong sucker, by means of which the animal clings so firmly -to the surface of a rock or a stone that it almost seems to be growing -out of it. But these creatures do not spend the whole of their lives -without moving, as oysters and barnacles do. Sometimes they will creep -slowly along over the surface of the rock, in order to find a more -comfortable situation, or one where they will have a better chance of -catching prey. And sometimes they will loose their hold of the rock -altogether, rise to the surface of the water, turn upside down, and -hollow their bodies in such a way that they form little boats, which -can float along over the waves for quite a long distance. - - -PLATE XLI - -THE SMOOTH ANEMONE (1) - -This is by far the commonest of all the sea anemones, and you may find -it in hundreds and thousands by going down among the rocks when the -tide is out, and looking into the pools. You are almost sure to see -that their rocky walls are dotted all over with lumps of brown or dark -green jelly, some only about as big as peas and some as large as plums. -These are Smooth Anemones, with their fleshy feelers, or “tentacles” -closed. And just here and there you may see one of them open, and you -will notice that all the way round the edge of its body, between the -roots of the tentacles, it has a row of little bead-like objects of -the most beautiful turquoise blue. For this reason the smooth anemone -is sometimes known as the “beadlet.” - -You can easily keep these anemones in captivity, for they are very -hardy, and are no trouble at all to feed. Indeed, they will go without -any food at all for three or four months together, and seem all the -better for their long fast. But if you put a tiny dead crab, or a -shrimp, or a sandhopper, into the midst of their spreading arms, you -will see the tentacles close round it, and push it down into the mouth, -which lies just in the very middle. For about forty-eight hours the -animal will then remain closed up. But as soon as it has digested its -dinner out will come the tentacles again, bringing with them the empty -shell of the victim. - -Every now and then, like other anemones, this animal changes its skin, -and when it leaves its position on the side of a rock-pool and crawls -to a new one, it nearly always leaves a cast skin behind it. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLI - -1. THE SMOOTH ANEMONE. - -2. THE DAISY ANEMONE.] - - -PLATE XLI - -THE DAISY ANEMONE (2) - -This is not nearly such a common creature as the smooth anemone, -but you may sometimes find it in the rock-pools at low-water on our -southern and western coasts. It is pale greyish yellow in colour, -and has an odd way of altering its shape from time to time, so that -sometimes its body is long and slender, and sometimes it is short and -stout, while the disc may be long and narrow one day, and almost round -the next. You can always tell it at once, if you should happen to meet -with it, by looking at its fleshy feelers, or tentacles, which are -marked with rings of grey and white. - - -PLATE XLII - -THE THICK-ARMED ANEMONE (1) - -Where the coast is sandy and rocky too this anemone is often rather -common. Yet very few people ever see it, because it nearly always -fastens itself quite low down on the rocks which border the pools, so -that at least half of its body soon becomes covered up with sand. -Besides this, it has a great number of very tiny sucker-feet, not -unlike those of the starfishes and the sea urchins, and with these -it clings to tiny stones and bits of broken shell, which often quite -conceal its upper surface, so that one really cannot see the anemone -itself at all. But it is quite one of the very handsomest of all the -British sea anemones, for when it is fully grown it is over five inches -in width; and sometimes it is pearly white in colour, and sometimes it -is green, and sometimes it is purple and brown, and sometimes it is -crimson, while its tentacles are banded with scarlet and white. These -tentacles are rather stout in proportion to their length, and when they -are fully spread the animal looks very much like a cactus dahlia. - - -PLATE XLII - -THE SNAKE-LOCKED ANEMONE (2) - -This is also one of the prettiest of these very pretty creatures. But -it is not in the least like the thick-armed anemone, for instead of -having a broad, stout body it has a long slender one; and instead of -short, thick tentacles, like the petals of a dahlia, it has a bunch of -almost thread-like arms, which really rather remind one of little -white snakes. And when they are spread these long arms are hardly ever -still, but are always waving about in the water. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLII - -1. THE THICK-ARMED ANEMONE. - -2. THE SNAKE-LOCKED ANEMONE.] - -When the snake-locked anemone closes up, however, you would never know -it for the same creature, for it not only draws its long tentacles back -into its body and tucks them away out of sight, but contracts the body -itself until it is almost flat. Unless you looked very carefully at the -rock to which it was clinging you would never notice it at all. - -This anemone is not a very common one, and is chiefly found on the -rocky coasts of Devonshire and Cornwall. In colour it is almost white. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -MADREPORES, CORALS, AND SPONGES - - -PLATE XLIII - -MADREPORES (1) - -In some ways these curious creatures are very much like sea anemones, -and if you were to find one with its tentacles spread you would be -almost sure to think that it was a small anemone. But if you touched -it you would find that you had made a mistake, for instead of closing -itself up into an almost shapeless lump of jelly, as the anemones do, -it would just draw back its tentacles, and leave a kind of flinty -skeleton still standing up. For madrepores are really much more like -the wonderful little creatures which make coral. They suck lime, -in some strange manner which nobody quite understands, out of the -sea-water, and build it up round and underneath their own bodies. And -if you startle them in any way they draw themselves down inside this -shelly covering, and disappear from sight altogether; so that all that -you can see is a number of thin plates standing upright on their -edges, and looking rather like the lower surface of a mushroom turned -into stone. - -Madrepores feed on very tiny animals, such as the fry of small fishes, -and the zoeas of shrimps and prawns. And they catch their victims by -means of a number of fleshy tentacles, which are very much like those -of the sea anemones, except that they always have little round knobs at -the tips. These tentacles are set with numbers of tiny cells containing -slender poisoned darts, just as those of the anemones are. - -If you want to find madrepores, you must look for them among the rocks -near the water’s edge when the tide is at its lowest. But they are not -very common, and on many parts of the coast they are never found at all. - - -PLATE XLIII - -THE SEA FINGER (2) - -If you walk along the shore as the tide goes out, you may often find a -soft, pink, fleshy object which has been thrown up by the waves. And -if you search among the pools at low-water, you are nearly sure to see -other soft, pink, fleshy objects just like it growing upon their rocky -sides, or upon the stones and shells which lie at the bottom. They are -often known as “dead men’s fingers,” or “dead men’s toes.” But as -those are not very nice names, we will call these objects “sea fingers.” - -Now if you pick up one of these sea fingers and look at it carefully, -you will see that its surface is pierced all over with numbers of tiny -holes. And if you take a good strong magnifying-glass, and look at one -of the holes through that, you will see that it is shaped like a little -flower with eight petals, or a star with eight rays. - -The fact is that the sea finger is the home of a most curious animal; -or perhaps one should rather say that it is the home of hundreds of -most curious animals. Indeed, it is not at all easy to know which is -the right way to describe it. For if you were to take a living sea -finger, and to put it into a vessel of clear sea-water, you would very -soon notice that a little tiny star-shaped animal had poked itself -out of each little star-shaped hole. There would be hundreds of these -little animals--or “polyps,” as they are called--altogether. But -yet they would only have one body between them, for they are joined -together in such a wonderful way that the food which is caught and -eaten by one polyp nourishes all the others as well as itself! - -[Illustration: PLATE XLIII - -1. THE MADREPORE. - -2. THE SEA FINGER.] - - -PLATE XLIV - -THE TUFT CORAL (1) - -Nearly all the coral-building animals are found in the tropical seas, -for they can only live in water which is quite warm all the year round. -But there are just a very few which are sometimes found off our own -shores, and one of these is the Tuft Coral. It looks rather like a tree -which has just been “pollarded” by having all the small branches taken -away and all the big ones cut quite short; and sometimes it weighs as -much as six or even seven pounds. - -People sometimes say that the curious substance which we call “coral” -is made by “coral insects.” But the little animals which make it are -not related in any way to the true insects. They are really tiny -polyps, very much like those of the sea finger; and they suck up lime -out of the water, and build it up underneath and round their own -bodies, just as the madrepores do. - -If you were to place one of these tuft corals in a vessel of clear -sea-water, and to watch it carefully, you would soon see the little -polyps poking themselves out, and spreading their tiny fleshy feelers, -or “tentacles.” The coral which they make is pearly white in colour, -with just a faint tinge of rosy red, and the polyps themselves are -partly white, and partly fawn, and partly chestnut brown. - -One does not often find a tuft coral, however, for the polyps like to -live in rather deep water. But when there is a very high spring-tide, -as there generally is about the end of March and the end of September, -the waves retreat afterwards a good deal farther than usual. And then, -if you go right down to the water’s edge, you may perhaps find a tuft -coral fastened to the rocks. - - -PLATE XLIV - -THE BREAD-CRUMB SPONGE (2) - -I dare say that you will be rather surprised to hear that nearly three -hundred different kinds of sponges have been found in the British seas. -You will not be able to find very many of these, however, for they -nearly all live in deep water, and have to be scooped up by means of -the dredge. But the Bread-crumb Sponge is easily found, for it lives in -shallow water, and you are nearly sure to find it if you look for it in -the rock-pools. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLIV - -1. THE TUFT CORAL. - -2. THE BREAD-CRUMB SPONGE. - -3. THE GRANTIA SPONGE. - -4. FORAMINIFERA.] - -But I hardly think that anybody, on seeing it for the first time, would -take it to be a sponge at all. For it is not in the least like a bath -sponge. It is just a kind of fleshy crust, sometimes greenish in -colour and sometimes yellow, which grows round the stems of sea-weed, -or covers the surfaces of rocks and stones. And the odd thing about -it is that when it clings to sea-weeds its surface is quite smooth, -with a number of large holes in it, but that when it grows on rocks it -is covered all over with little projections which look just like the -craters of volcanoes. - -It is rather difficult to describe the animal which lives in the -sponge, for it really consists of a large number of tiny animals all -joined together in one common mass, very much like the polyps of the -sea finger. But they are so very small that unless you examine them -by means of a good strong microscope they only look like a mass of -brownish jelly. - -These little creatures obtain their food in a very curious way. If you -look at the surface of the sponge through a magnifying-glass, you will -see that it is pierced by a great many very tiny holes as well as by a -number of bigger ones. Now water is always passing in through the small -holes and out again through the big ones; and as it does so the little -creatures manage to suck out all the tiny atoms of animal and vegetable -matter which were floating about in it. - - -PLATE XLIV - -THE GRANTIA SPONGE (3) - -This is quite a small sponge, which you may often find by hunting about -in the rock-pools just above low-water mark. Sometimes it clings to -sea-weeds, and sometimes it hangs down from the surfaces of the rocks; -and when you find one you are almost sure to find several others close -by. - -In appearance, they are rather like little flat white bags, or purses; -and when they reach their full size they are generally about an inch -long and an inch and a half wide. - - -PLATE XLIV - -FORAMINIFERA (4) - -“Foraminifera!” That is rather a long name; isn’t it? But if we cut it -in two, and strike out one of the letters, we shall see what it means. -_Foramin-(i)-fera_. Now the first part of the name is a Latin word -which means “a hole,” and the last part is another Latin word which -signifies “bearers.” So “foraminifera” means “hole-bearers,” and this -title has been given to certain very tiny creatures which live in the -sea because they inhabit shells, which are pierced all over by numbers -and numbers of still tinier holes. - -These foraminifera are so very small that numbers of them can live in a -single drop of water! Yet, strange to say, all the chalk in the world -is made of their shells! For in days of old--thousands and thousands -of years ago--they were found in the sea in millions of millions of -millions. And as they died their empty shells sank down to the bottom -of the sea in such enormous numbers that at last they formed a layer -hundreds of feet thick. Then suddenly one day there came a great -earthquake, and a great deal of this vast layer of shells was forced up -above the surface in the form of what we now call chalk. So that “the -chalk cliffs of old England” are really made of nothing but shells, so -very small indeed that you cannot see them without the help of a very -strong microscope! - -There are a great many different kinds of foraminifera. But if you look -at them through a good microscope you will always see that their shells -are pierced by the tiny holes from which they take their name. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -SEA-WEEDS - - -PLATE XLV - -THE BLADDER-WRACK (1) - -I dare say that you would like to know something about the sea-weeds -which you may find on the shore; so I am now going to describe some of -those which you are almost certain to meet with. - -First of all, then, and commonest of all, there is the bladder-wrack. -Wherever there are rocks on which it can grow you will always see it in -great masses. And after every storm enormous quantities of it are torn -off and flung upon the beach. Then the farmers send down their carts to -carry it away. For after it has been piled up in heaps for some time, -so as to allow it partly to decay, it makes a most useful manure; and -the farmers are only too glad to be able to spread it over their fields. - -This plant is called the “bladder-wrack” because of the odd little -oval bladders filled with air which are found in the leaves, and which -explode with a slight report if you tread upon them or squeeze them. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLV - -1. THE BLADDER-WRACK. - -2. THE OAR WEED.] - - -PLATE XLV - -THE OAR WEED (2) - -This is a very fine sea-weed indeed, for it often grows to a height -of ten or eleven feet. But you are not likely to see it growing, for -it lives in rather deep water, where it is always covered even at the -lowest tides. It is often flung up by the waves, however, and you must -many times have noticed its long, thick stem and flat plate-like leaves -lying upon the shore as the tide was going down. - -The stem of the oar weed is often used for making the handles of -knives. When it is quite fresh, it is so soft that the “tang” of a -knife-blade--the part, that is, which is fastened into the handle--can -be forced into it quite easily. But if it is put aside for a few months -to dry it becomes as hard and solid as horn, and holds the blade so -firmly that it is almost impossible to pull it out again. - -If you look at the “roots” of the oar weed you will see that they are -not like those of plants which grow in the ground, but are really -very strong suckers. For sea-weeds do not send their roots down into -the rock, as land plants do into the ground, but merely cling to the -surface. That is why they are so easily torn up by the waves. - - -PLATE XLVI - -CORALLINE (1) - -For a great many years naturalists could not make up their minds -whether this very pretty sea-weed was really a sea-weed or not. For -it possesses the curious power of sucking out lime from the sea-water -and building it up round itself, just as the polyps of the madrepores -and the corals do: so that when it dies and decays it leaves a kind of -chalky skeleton behind it. For this reason it was often supposed to be -really a kind of coral. We know now, however, that it is a plant. For -if it is placed in acid, which dissolves away this “skeleton,” we find -that a true vegetable framework is left behind it. - -While it is alive the coralline is of a deep purple colour. It is quite -a small plant, growing only to a height of four or five inches, and you -may find it in quantities on the rocks near low-water mark. - - -PLATE XLVI - -DULSE (2) - -This weed is also known as the Dillisk, or Dillosk. I dare say that you -have often seen it, for it is quite common on nearly all the rocky -parts of our coasts, sometimes growing on the rocks themselves, and -sometimes on the larger sea-weeds. In colour, it is a deep, dark red, -and if you look down upon it on a bright sunny day, as it grows in -a pool of clear sea-water, you may see all kinds of lovely rainbow -tints playing over its leaves. The leaves or “fronds” as they are more -properly called, are about two inches long and a quarter of an inch -wide. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLVI - -1. CORALLINE. - -2. DULSE.] - -The dulse is one of the sea-weeds which are used for food. On many -parts of the coast of Ireland it is very largely eaten, both boiled and -raw, and some people are so fond of it that they have it for breakfast -every day. - - -PLATE XLVII - -THE GREEN LAVER (1) - -Another name for this plant is the Sea Lettuce; and certainly, with -its broad, bright green, crinkled leaves, it does look rather like a -cabbage lettuce. It is a very useful plant to keep in a salt-water -aquarium, for its leaves give off little bubbles of oxygen gas, which -help to keep the water pure and fit for fishes and other creatures to -live in. If you look at it on a bright sunny day you will often find -that the leaves are covered all over with these tiny bubbles, which -look just like little drops of quicksilver. - -The green laver is found in abundance on most of our rocky coasts, and -is often boiled down into a kind of jelly and used as food. - - -PLATE XLVII - -THE PURPLE LAVER (2) - -This plant is very much like the green laver, except that it is purple -in colour instead of green. It is often boiled down into jelly and used -as food, more especially in Ireland, where it is generally known as -“sloke,” and is cooked and brought to table in a silver saucepan. - - -PLATE XLVIII - -CARRAGEEN MOSS (1) - -I do not know why this plant should be called a moss, for it is not in -the least like the true mosses, as you can easily see by looking at the -illustration. It is very common indeed, growing both in the pools among -the rocks and also in deep water. But it is not a very easy plant to -describe, for it varies very much in colour, being sometimes green, -and sometimes yellow, and sometimes purple. Like the dulse, it is often -used for food, being boiled down into a kind of jelly, and then either -eaten by itself, or mixed with tea or coffee. It makes very good size, -too, and is used a good deal in the manufacture of calico. Farmers use -it, too, for fattening calves, and also for mixing with the potatoes -or meal with which the pigs are fed. So that altogether it is a very -useful sea-weed indeed. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLVII - -1. THE GREEN LAVER. - -2. THE PURPLE LAVER.] - - -PLATE XLVIII - -THE SEA GRASS (2) - -This is a very pretty sea-weed, which you may often find growing in -great quantities in the pools which are left among the rocks as the -tide goes down. When its long, narrow fronds are waving to and fro in -the water it really looks most lovely, and you can almost fancy that -you are gazing down into fairyland. And as the shrimps and prawns and -little fishes dart in and out among its bright green leaves, one might -almost imagine them to be the fairies! - -The fronds of this pretty sea-weed vary a good deal in width, for -sometimes they are like strips of narrow ribbon, and sometimes they are -scarcely broader than hairs. - - -PLATE XLVIII - -THE GRASS WRACK (3) - -In one way this is the most curious of all the plants which you may -find on the shore. For it is not really a sea-weed at all, but is a -flowering plant which somehow or other has taken to living at the -bottom of the sea. You may often find it in the deeper pools just above -low-water mark; and you can tell it at once by its very long, very -narrow, bright green leaves. These leaves are often three or four feet -in length, while they are only about three-eighths of an inch wide; so -that really they do look very much like blades of grass. - -The grass wrack is not one of the true grasses, however, for it has -real flowers, which grow in a kind of sheath formed by one of the -shorter leaves. And its stem creeps along under the muddy sand, and -throws up leaves at intervals, very much like that of the common -bracken. On many parts of the coast it grows in the greatest abundance. -There are large fields of it, so to speak, below low-water mark, which -afford refuge for all kinds of small sea-creatures. Indeed, if you want -to catch these animals for yourself, the very best way to do it is to -wait until the tide is quite low, and then to wade into the water -and fish about in the masses of grass wrack with a small net. - -[Illustration: PLATE XLVIII - -1. CARRAGEEN MOSS. - -2. THE SEA GRASS. - -3. THE GRASS WRACK.] - -Great quantities of the long, narrow leaves of this plant are often -flung up on the shore; and when they have been thoroughly dried they -are often used for packing glass or china, instead of hay or straw. - - - Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. - Edinburgh & London - - - - -INDEX - - - Acorn shells, 90 - - Anemone, smooth, 123; - anemone, daisy, 125; - anemone, thick-armed, 125; - anemone, snake-locked, 126 - - Anemones, sea, 121 - - - Bladder-wrack, 136 - - - Carrageen moss, 140 - - Chiton, 34 - - Cockle, 39 - - Coralline, 138 - - Cowry, 33 - - Crab, edible, 64; - crab, shore, 65; - crab, masked, 67; - crab, fiddler, 68; - crab, thornback, 69; - crab, long-beaked spider, 71; - crab, four-horned spider, 72; - crab, pea, 73; - crab caterpillars, 74; - crab chrysalids, 76; - crab, hermit, 77 - - Crabs, 58-64 - - Cuttle, 16 - - - Dog whelk, 20 - - Dragonet, 6 - - Dulse, 138 - - - Egg of the dog-fish, 13 - - Egg of the skate, 12 - - - Flounder, 9 - - Foraminifera, 134 - - - Gaper, 46 - - Gobies, 1 - - Grass wrack, 142 - - Grey top, 32 - - - Jellyfishes, 115 - - - Laver, green, 139; - laver, purple, 140 - - Limpet, common, 27; - limpet, key-hole, 28; - limpet, smooth, 29; - limpet, cup and saucer, 30 - - Little piddock, 50 - - Lobster, 81 - - Lug worm, 101 - - - Madrepores, 128 - - Mussel, 40; - mussel, horse, 42 - - - Nemertes, 102 - - Nereis, 103 - - - Oar weed, 137 - - Oyster, 36; - oyster, saddle, 38 - - - Painted top, 31 - - Periwinkle, 23 - - Piddock, 47 - - Pinna, 56 - - Pipe-fish, 7 - - Plaice, 11 - - Prawn, 83; - prawn, æsop, 85 - - Purpura, 24 - - - Razor, 53 - - - Sabella, 97 - - Sabre razor, 55 - - Sandhopper, 87 - - Sand screw, 89 - - Scallop, variable, 43; - scallop, radiated, 44; - scallop, hunchback, 45 - - Sea acorn, 118 - - Sea cucumber, 114 - - Sea finger, 129 - - Sea grass, 141 - - Sea mouse, 95 - - Sea snail, 25 - - Sea urchin, 111 - - Serpula, 98 - - Ship barnacles, 93 - - Shipworm, 51 - - Shrimp, 86 - - Smooth blenny, 4 - - Sponge, bread-crumb, 132; - sponge, grantia, 134 - - Spotted gunnell, 5 - - Starfish, five-finger, 106; - starfish, bird’s-foot, 108; - starfish, sun, 108; - starfish, brittle, 109 - - Starfishes’ legs, 105 - - Stinging jellyfish, 117 - - Sting winkle, 21 - - Sunset shell, 45 - - - Terebella, 99 - - Tuft coral, 131 - - - Wentletrap, 26 - - Whelk, 19 - - - Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. - Edinburgh & London - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - - Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEA-SHORE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Sea-Shore</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em;'>Shown to the Children</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Theodore Wood</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Editor: Louey Chisholm</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Illustrator: Janet Harvey Kelman</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: November 4, 2021 [eBook #66669]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: D A Alexander, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by University of California libraries)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEA-SHORE ***</div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" width="40%" alt="" /></div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="bbox"> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - -<p><span class="large"><b>THE<br /> -“SHOWN TO<br /> -THE CHILDREN”<br /> -SERIES</b></span></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p><b>1. BEASTS</b></p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>With 48 Coloured Plates -by <span class="smcap">Percy J. Billinghurst</span>. -Letterpress by -<span class="smcap">Lena Dalkeith</span>.</p> -</div> - - -<p><b>2. FLOWERS</b></p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>With 48 Coloured Plates -showing 150 flowers, by -<span class="smcap">Janet Harvey Kelman</span>. -Letterpress by <span class="smcap">C. E. -Smith</span>.</p> -</div> - - -<p><b>3. BIRDS</b></p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>With 48 Coloured Plates -by <span class="smcap">M. K. C. Scott</span>. -Letterpress by <span class="smcap">J. A. -Henderson</span>.</p> -</div> - - -<p><b>4. THE SEA-SHORE</b></p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>With 48 Coloured Plates -by <span class="smcap">Janet Harvey Kelman</span>. -Described by <span class="smcap">Rev. -Theodore Wood</span>.</p> -</div> - -</div></div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="blockquot2"> -<p><span class="large"><b>THE “SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN” SERIES</b><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap">Edited by Louey Chisholm</span></span></p> - -<h1>THE SEA-SHORE</h1> -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate1"><span class="smcap">Plate I</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_frontispiece.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. and 2. THE GOBIES.</p> -</div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> -<p><span class="xxxlarge">The Sea-Shore</span><br /> - -<span class="xxlarge">SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN</span></p> - -<p>BY<br /> - -<span class="xlarge">JANET HARVEY KELMAN</span></p> - -<p>DESCRIBED BY<br /> - -<span class="xlarge">REV. THEODORE WOOD</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_title.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<p>FORTY-EIGHT COLOURED PICTURES</p> - -<p>LONDON & EDINBURGH<br /> -<span class="xlarge">T. C. & E. C. JACK</span></p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="center"> -Printed by <span class="smcap">Ballantyne, Hanson</span> & <span class="smcap">Co.</span><br /> -At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[vii]</span></p> -<h2 class="nobreak">LIST OF SEA-SHORE WONDERS</h2> -</div> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" summary="table"> - - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_1"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER I</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">FISHES</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate1">I.</a></td><td> 1. and 2. The Gobies</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate2">II.</a></td><td> 1. The Smooth Blenny</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Spotted Gunnell</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate3">III.</a></td><td> 1. The Dragonet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Pipe-Fish</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate4">IV.</a></td><td> The Flounder</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate5">V.</a></td><td> The Plaice</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate6">VI.</a></td><td> 1. The Egg of the Skate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Egg of the Dog-Fish</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_16"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER II</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">THE MOLLUSCS</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate7">VII.</a></td><td> 1. and 2. The Cuttle</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate8">VIII.</a></td><td> 1. and 2. The Whelk</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate9">IX.</a></td><td> 1. The Dog Whelk</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sting Winkle</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Periwinkle</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 4. The Dog Periwinkle</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 5. The Purpura</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate10">X.</a></td><td> 1. The Sea Snail</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Wentletrap</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate11">XI.</a></td><td> 1. The Common Limpet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Key-Hole Limpet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Smooth Limpet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 4. The Cup and Saucer Limpet</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate12">XII.</a></td><td> 1. The Painted Top</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Grey Top</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Cowry</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 4. The Chiton</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_36"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER III</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">BIVALVE MOLLUSCS</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate13">XIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Oyster</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Saddle Oyster</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Cockle</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate14">XIV.</a></td><td> 1. Inside of Mussel Shell</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Mussel</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Horse Mussel</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate15">XV.</a></td><td> 1. The Variable Scallop</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Radiated Scallop</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Hunchback Scallop</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate16">XVI.</a></td><td> 1. Inside of Sunset Shell</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sunset Shell</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Gaper</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate17">XVII.</a></td><td> 1. The Piddock<span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[viii]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. and 3. The Little Piddock</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate18">XVIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Shipworm</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. Wood bored by Shipworm</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate19">XIX.</a></td><td> 1. The Razor</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. Top of Razor from Front</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Sabre Razor</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate20">XX.</a></td><td> The Pinna</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_58"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER IV</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">CRABS</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td> </td><td>How Crabs Grow</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td><td>How Crabs See</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td><td>How Crabs Hear and Smell</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate21">XXI.</a></td><td> The Edible Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate22">XXII.</a></td><td> 1. The Shore or Green Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Fiddler Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate23">XXIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Masked Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Thornback Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate24">XXIV.</a></td><td> 1. The Long-Beaked Spider Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Four-Horned Spider Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate25">XXV.</a></td><td> 1. The Pea Crab</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. and 2 <span class="allsmcap">A.</span> Crab Caterpillars</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. and 3 <span class="allsmcap">A.</span> Crab Chrysalids</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate26">XXVI.</a></td><td> 1. The Hermit Crab in Whelk Shell</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Hermit Crab out of Shell</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_81"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER V</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">LOBSTERS AND THEIR KIN</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate27">XXVII.</a></td><td> The Lobster</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate28">XXVIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Prawn</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Æsop Prawn</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Shrimp</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate29">XXIX.</a></td><td> 1. and 1 <span class="allsmcap">A.</span> The Sandhopper</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. and 2 <span class="allsmcap">A.</span> The Sand Screw</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate30">XXX.</a></td><td> 1. Acorn Shells</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. Ship Barnacles</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_95"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER VI</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">THE SEA WORMS</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate31">XXXI.</a></td><td> 1. The Sea Mouse</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sabella</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate32">XXXII.</a></td><td> 1. and 2. The Serpula</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate33">XXXIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Terebella</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Lug Worm</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate34">XXXIV.</a></td><td> 1. The Nemertes</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Nereis</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_105"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER VII</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">STARFISHES</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td><td>Starfishes’ Legs</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate35">XXXV.</a></td><td> 1. The Five-Finger Starfish</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Bird’s-Foot Starfish<span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[ix]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate36">XXXVI.</a></td><td> The Sun Starfish</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate37">XXXVII.</a></td><td> The Brittle Starfish</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate38">XXXVIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Sea Urchin without Spines</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sea Urchin with spines</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_114"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER VIII</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">SEA CUCUMBERS AND JELLYFISHES</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate39">XXXIX.</a></td><td> 1. The Sea Cucumber</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Common Jellyfish</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate40">XL.</a></td><td> 1. The Stinging Jellyfish</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sea Acorn</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_121"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER IX</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">SEA ANEMONES</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td> </td><td>How Sea Anemones are formed</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate41">XLI.</a></td><td> 1. The Smooth Anemone</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Daisy Anemone</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate42">XLII.</a></td><td> 1. The Thick-Armed Anemone</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Snake-Locked Anemone</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_128"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER X</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">MADREPORES, CORALS, AND SPONGES</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate43">XLIII.</a></td><td> 1. The Madrepore</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sea Finger</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate44">XLIV.</a></td><td> 1. The Tuft Coral</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Bread-Crumb Sponge</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Grantia Sponge</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 4. Foraminifera</td></tr> -<tr><td> </td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_136"><span class="xlarge">CHAPTER XI</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="large">SEA-WEED</span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="tdr">Plate</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate45">XLV.</a></td><td> 1. The Bladder-Wrack</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Oar Weed</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate46">XLVI.</a></td><td> 1. Coralline</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. Dulse</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate47">XLVII.</a></td><td> 1. The Green Laver</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Purple Laver</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr"><a href="#plate48">XLVIII.</a></td><td> 1. Carrageen Moss</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 2. The Sea Grass</td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">” </td><td> 3. The Grass Wrack</td></tr> -</table> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[x]</span></p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[xi]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">ABOUT THIS BOOK</h2> -</div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THIS book is intended to help little boys and -girls to use their eyes. The world is full -of beautiful sights and wonderful creatures; and -some of the most beautiful and wonderful of -all are to be seen on the sea-shore. So I have -tried to tell boys and girls, who are fortunate -enough to visit the sea-side, what they ought -to look for, and where they ought to look for -it. And I can assure them that if they will only -take the trouble to see what there is to be -seen, they will find fresh objects of interest as -often as they go down upon the beach, and -that a sea-side holiday will prove ten times as -delightful as ever they found it before.</p> - -<p class="right">THEODORE WOOD.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[1]</span> - -<p class="ph2">THE SEA-SHORE</p> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER I<br /> - - -FISHES</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE I<br /> - -THE GOBIES (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">IN this little book I want to talk to you about -some of the strange and wonderful creatures -which you may find when you go to stay by the -sea-side. And first of all I should like to tell you -something about the fishes. A great many of -these, of course, live in the deep water, where you -cannot catch them, or even see them. But there -are a good many others which you can find very -easily indeed. All that you have to do is to wait -until the tide has gone out, and then to go down -and look into the pools which are left among -the rocks. There you are almost sure to see -a number of shadowy forms darting to and fro -through the water. Some of these, most likely, -will be shrimps and prawns, which are always -very common in the rock-pools; but the others -will be tiny fishes. And even if you have not -got a net you can often catch them quite easily.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span> -Just bale out the water with a small pail, or even -with your hands, until the pool is nearly empty, and -you will be able to seize them with your fingers.</p> - -<p>Among the fishes which can be caught in this -manner are several kinds of Gobies. You can -easily tell them from all other fishes by the -curious way in which their lower fins are made. -These fins are placed close together, so as to -form a kind of cup-shaped sucker or soft pad, by -means of which the little creatures can cling so -firmly to the rocks that even a wave will not wash -them from their hold. And if you take them home -alive and put them into a basin full of sea-water, -they will cling to the sides and stare at you in -a most inquisitive way! Owing to this habit the -gobies are often called “rock-fishes.”</p> - -<p>The commonest of these odd little creatures, -perhaps, is the Black Goby. But the Spotted -Goby is very nearly as plentiful. It is rather hard -to see, because it is coloured just like the sand -at the bottom of the pool, on which it is very fond -of resting. But if you scoop out the water from a -shallow pool you will often find, not only the goby, -but its nest as well. For this little fish makes -a most curious nest in which to place its eggs. -First of all it hunts about till it has found half -an empty cockle-shell, lying at the bottom of the -water with its hollow side downwards. It then -scoops out the sand from underneath it, so as to -form a little chamber about as big as a marble.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> -You would think that the walls of this chamber -would very soon fall in, wouldn’t you? But the -fish smears them all over with a kind of slime, -which very soon sets and becomes quite hard, just -like cement. It then makes a tunnel leading into -the chamber by means of which it can go in and -out; and last of all it covers the cockle-shell all -over with loose sand. So unless you look very -carefully at the bottom of the pool you will not see -the nest at all. But if you notice a kind of lump -in the sand, and find that half a cockle-shell is -buried underneath it, you may be pretty well sure -that you have discovered the home of a spotted -goby.</p> - -<p>This nest is always made by the male fish, and -when it is quite finished his mate comes and lays -her eggs in it. Then for eight or nine days he -remains on guard outside the entrance, so as to -prevent any hungry creature from finding its way -in and devouring them. At the end of that time -the eggs hatch, and a number of baby gobies make -their appearance; and although they are so small -that one can hardly see them, the father-fish -seems to think that they are quite able to take -care of themselves. So he swims away, and leaves -them to their fate.</p> - -<p>If you catch these little fishes with your fingers -you must be careful how you handle them, for -they have rather long and sharp teeth, and can -give quite a smart bite.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE II<br /> - -THE SMOOTH BLENNY (1)</h3> - -<p>This fish, which is sometimes known as the -Shanny, is also very common in the rock-pools. -But you are not likely to see it unless you bale -out all the water from a pool, for it always hides -during the daytime in the crannies among the -rocks, or underneath sea-weeds. Or it will even -burrow down into the sandy mud beneath a big -stone, so that you will not find it at all unless you -dig for it.</p> - -<p>When it is fully grown this fish is about five -inches long, and it is quite a remarkable creature -in several different ways.</p> - -<p>In the first place, it varies a great deal in colour. -Sometimes it is partly green and partly yellow, -sometimes it is olive brown nearly all over, and -sometimes it is almost black. But you can -always tell it by the ring of bright crimson which -surrounds each eye.</p> - -<p>In the second place, it can remain for quite a -long time out of the water. Some fishes die -almost at once if they are taken out of the sea. -But a blenny can live on dry land for twenty-four -hours at least. The reason is that its gills are -made in such a way that they remain damp for a -long while after the fish leaves the water; and as -long as the gills are moist it is able to breathe.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate2"><span class="smcap">Plate II</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_004.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SMOOTH BLENNY.<span class="gap">2. THE SPOTTED GUNNELL.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span>So very often indeed a smooth blenny will hide -in a crevice which is left quite dry when the tide -begins to fall, and will stay there till it rises again, -perhaps eight or ten hours later.</p> - -<p>But the oddest thing about this little fish is that -it can move one of its eyes about without moving -the other! Have you ever seen a chameleon? If -so, you must have noticed how it will turn one of -its curious eyes, first in one direction, and then in -another, while the other eye remains quite still. -And the blenny can move its eyes in just the same -way, so that very often when one of them is looking -out in front the other will be looking out behind. -And then one will twist round and look upwards, -while the other twists round and looks down!</p> - -<p>If you succeed in catching a smooth blenny, you -can always tell it from the other fishes which live -in the rock-pools by the deep notch in the middle -of the fin which runs along its back.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE II<br /> - -THE SPOTTED GUNNELL (2)</h3> - -<p>Another small fish which is very common in the -rock-pools is the Spotted Gunnell. It is often -known as the “butter-fish,” and if you try to -catch it you will very quickly learn the reason -why; for it will slip between your fingers just -as if it had been smeared all over with butter.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span> -Nearly all fishes are slippery, but the spotted -gunnell is the most slippery of all, for its whole -body is covered with such a thick coat of greasy -slime that it is really hardly possible to hold it.</p> - -<p>Sometimes the spotted gunnell is light brown -in colour, and sometimes it is dark brown. But -you can always tell it by its shape, which is very -much like that of an eel, for its body is long and -flat, and is of almost the same width the whole -way along, from the head to nearly the tip of the -tail. Then instead of having two fins on its back -quite separate from one another, as most fishes -have, the spotted gunnell has one very narrow -fin which runs the whole length of the body. So, -you see, it is very much like an eel indeed. But -you can always tell it by the row of black -spots, bordered with white, on the lower edge -of the back-fin. When fully grown it is about -six inches long.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE III<br /> - -THE DRAGONET (1)</h3> - -<p>You will not find this little fish in the rock-pools -nearly so often as the gobies and the gunnells, for -it generally lives at the bottom of the sea at some -little distance from the shore. But now and then -it comes swimming up as the tide rises, and gets -left behind as it falls again, so that for a few -hours, at any rate, it is obliged to stay in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span> -pools. It is a most beautiful little creature, and, -strange to say, the male is much more handsome -than the female, for he is golden yellow above -and white beneath, with streaks and spots of lilac -upon his back and sides, while his mate is reddish-yellow -all over. Besides this, he has the front -spine of his first back-fin drawn out to such a -length that it reaches almost to the tip of his tail, -while all his other fins are very long and very -spiny. He really does look, indeed, very much -like a tiny water-dragon. That is the reason, of -course, why he is called the “dragonet.” The -female, however, has much smaller fins. Indeed, -she is so very unlike the male that until a few -years ago even naturalists thought that she was -a different fish altogether, and she was generally -known as the Fox, on account of her reddish -colour.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate3"><span class="smcap">Plate III</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_006.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE DRAGONET.<span class="gap">2. THE PIPE-FISH.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>If you ever succeed in finding a dragonet in the -rock-pools it is almost sure to be a female, for the -male hardly ever comes into shallow water.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE III<br /> - -THE PIPE-FISH (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very odd-looking fish indeed—quite -the most curious of all the fishes which live in the -rock-pools. And as it is very common, you ought -to be able to find it without any difficulty.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span>In the first place, although it grows to a length -of eighteen or nineteen inches, its body, even in -the largest part, is no bigger round than a slate-pencil. -For this reason it is often known as the -Needle Fish.</p> - -<p>Besides this, its jaws are drawn out to a most -wonderful length, and are fastened together all -the way along, so that they really form a kind of -tube. So, you see, a pipe-fish can never open or -shut its mouth, but has to suck in its food through -the tiny hole at the tip of the jaws.</p> - -<p>Sometimes, as you look down into a rock-pool, -you may see one of these fishes feeding; and the -way in which it does so is very curious indeed. It -suspends itself almost upright in the water, with -its tail upwards and its head downwards. It then -fills its tube-like mouth with water, which it -squirts out again as hard as it possibly can. The -result is, of course, that the sand at the bottom -of the pool is blown away, and the various tiny -creatures which were lying hidden underneath it -are uncovered. Then the fish sucks them up into -its mouth, and swallows them.</p> - -<p>Another curious fact about the pipe-fish is that -instead of being clothed with scales, as most fishes -are, it is covered all over with hard bony plates, -just like a suit of armour. But the strangest -thing of all about it is that underneath the body -of the male fish is a kind of pouch, into which the -female puts her eggs, so that he can carry them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span> -about in safety until they hatch! Isn’t that odd? -And it is even said that after the little fishes are -hatched they will go back into their father’s pouch -if they are frightened, just as baby kangaroos do -into that of their mother, and remain there until -the danger has passed away!</p> - - -<h3>PLATE IV<br /> - -THE FLOUNDER</h3> - -<p>This is one of the “flat fishes,” as everybody -calls them, like the turbot and the sole. Yet, -really and truly, these creatures are not flat at all. -They are thin. For what we always call the back -of a sole is not really its back. It is one of its -sides. And what we always call its lower surface -is not its lower surface, but its other side!</p> - -<p>This sounds very strange, doesn’t it? But the -fact is that when these so-called “flat” fishes -are first hatched they swim upright, just as all -other fishes do. Then their backs are upwards, of -course, and their lower surfaces are downwards, -and one of their sides is on either side. For about -a month they swim about in this way. At the end -of that time a strong desire comes over them to -go and lie down on the sand or mud at the bottom -of the sea. Now, in order to do this, of course, -they have to lie upon their sides. Then three -very strange things happen.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span>In the first place, their colour changes. Until -now, both sides of the body have been pearly or -silvery white. A white fish, however, lying on -yellow sand or brown mud, would be very easily -seen, and some hungry creature would be sure to -catch sight of it and devour it. So as soon as the -little fish lies down the upper side begins to get -darker, and in a very short time it is of just the -same colour as the sand or mud all round it. If -you look into a shallow pool in which some of -these fishes are lying you will find it very difficult -indeed to see them, for they look exactly like the -surface on which they rest.</p> - -<p>In the second place, their way of swimming -changes. When they first hatch out from the egg -these little fishes swim just as other fishes do—upright, -by means of their tails. For of course -you know that fishes do not swim with their fins, -which merely help them to keep their balance in -the water. But when they lie down at the bottom -of the sea they give up this way of swimming, and -wriggle their way, as it were, through the water, -still lying upon one side.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate4"><span class="smcap">Plate IV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_010.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE FLOUNDER.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>But the oddest change of all takes place in -the position of the eyes. You can easily see, of -course, that if a fish with its eyes in the usual -place lies down on one side at the bottom of the -sea, one eye is underneath its head, and is quite -useless. So you might think that, except when -it was swimming, it would only be able to see<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span> -with one of its eyes. But a very strange thing -indeed happens as soon as it lies down on the mud. -The lower eye actually begins to move, and slowly -travels round the head, till at last it settles down -by the side of the other! That sounds impossible, -doesn’t it? It is as wonderful as anything in a -fairy story. Yet in every one of these so-called -“flat” fishes that strange journey of the eye takes -place.</p> - -<p>Next time you pass by a fishmonger’s shop just -look at the soles or the flounders in his window, -and you will see that in every one of these fishes -the two eyes are quite close together, above the -same corner of the mouth. That is because one -of the eyes moved right across the head while the -fish was quite small, so that it might be able to -use them both as it lay at the bottom of the sea.</p> - -<p>You can sometimes catch flounders by paddling -in the sea in places where the bottom is rather -muddy. After a little while you are almost sure -to feel one of these fishes wriggling underneath -your feet, and all that you have to do is to stoop -down and seize it.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE V<br /> - -THE PLAICE</h3> - -<p>In its habits the plaice is very much like the -flounder, except that it does not like lying upon -mud, and always chooses a spot where the bottom<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span> -of the sea is sandy. And the skin of the upper -side of its body, instead of growing dark brown, -like the colour of mud, becomes speckled and -spotted like the surface of sand. The fish is -always very careful indeed to conceal itself, for -even when the sea-bottom is sandy it does not lie -upon the surface, but wriggles its way right down -into the sand, only leaving just its eyes and a -small part of its head above it.</p> - -<p>You can always tell a plaice when you see it -by the bright reddish-yellow spots upon the upper -side of its body and its fins. And besides these, it -always has a row of little bony knobs on the upper -side of its head. You can catch it just as you can -catch flounders, by paddling in the sea. But the -plaice which are caught in this way are always -quite small ones, for the bigger fish, which sometimes -weigh as much as twelve or even fifteen -pounds, live in the deeper water at some little -distance from the shore.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE VI<br /> - -THE EGG OF THE SKATE (1)</h3> - -<p>Very often indeed, as you walk along the sea-shore, -you will find a curious object which the -fishermen generally call a “mermaid’s purse.” It -is about three inches long and two inches wide, -and is made of a black, horny substance, so tough<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span> -and hard that it is very difficult indeed to tear it. -And from each corner there projects a slender -tube, about an inch in length. In fact it looks -rather like a hand-barrow, with handles in front -as well as at the back, instead of wheels.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate5"><span class="smcap">Plate V</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_013.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE PLAICE.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>This is an egg of that very curious fish which -we call the Skate, and which looks something like -one of the “flat” fishes with a long whip-like tail. -So it is sometimes called a “skate-barrow.” -When it is flung up on the beach by the waves -the egg is nearly always empty. But if you -happen to be staying by the sea-side in the early -spring, and go down for a walk along the beach -after a violent storm, you may perhaps find one -of these eggs with a baby skate inside it. And if -you examine the egg very carefully, you will find -that while one end is firmly closed up, the other -end has a slit running right across it, and that -this slit is made in such a way that it allows the -little fish to pass out quite easily when the proper -time comes, but quite prevents any other creature -from coming in.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE VI<br /> - -THE EGG OF THE DOG-FISH (2)</h3> - -<p>On some parts of the coast you may often -find an empty egg which is very much like that -of the skate, for it is made of just the same horny -material, and is of just the same shape. But<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span> -at the four corners, instead of having straight -projections like the handles of a barrow, it has -long, twisted tendrils, just like those of a vine.</p> - -<p>This is the egg of the Dog-fish, which is really -a kind of small shark. It is not big or strong -enough to be dangerous to human beings; but -it is a terrible enemy to such small fishes as -pilchards and herrings. For a number of these -creatures form themselves into a band and go -hunting together, just like a pack of wild dogs. -And they will follow the shoal about day after -day, snapping up the poor helpless fishes in hundreds -and thousands.</p> - -<p>When a dog-fish lays its eggs, it seems to fasten -them down by their tendrils to the weeds which -are growing at the bottom of the sea; and these -hold them so firmly that unless the weeds are -torn up with them, they never break away. At -each end of the egg is a small hole, allowing -a current of water to pass over the little fish -inside it. And at one end there is a slit, just -like that in the egg of the skate, which can only -be pushed open from the inside. So the little -dog-fish can get out, while its enemies cannot -get in.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate6"><span class="smcap">Plate VI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_014.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE EGG OF SKATE.<span class="gap">2. THE EGG OF DOG-FISH.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Very often, after a violent storm, you may find -a dead dog-fish lying upon the shore; and even -if you have never seen one of these creatures -before you can tell at once what it is, because -its skin is so rough that it feels exactly like a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span> -piece of sand-paper. So this skin is often used -for covering the handles of swords, in order to -give a firm grip; and sometimes narrow strips of -it are fastened to the sides of boxes of lucifer -matches.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER II<br /> - - -THE MOLLUSCS</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE VII<br /> - -THE CUTTLE (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">WE now come to the Molluscs, or Soft-bodied -Animals, of which there are a very great -many. Some of them live in shells, like the oyster -and the whelk, and are often spoken of as “shell-fishes.” -But they are not really fishes at all, for -they have no bones as fishes have, and are made -in quite a different way. And there are just a -few of them which have no shells at all.</p> - -<p>One of these is that very curious creature -which we call the Cuttle. You may sometimes -find it in the rock-pools, lurking in the crevices -among the rocks, or hiding under the masses -of sea-weeds which grow round the edges. It -has a soft, white, bag-like body, and a big head, -on which are two great staring black eyes. Just -above these eyes eight long slender arms spring -out; for cuttles keep their arms on their heads -instead of on their bodies! And another arm -which is even longer still, and is flattened out -at the end into a kind of oval plate, hangs down -on either side.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span>All these arms are set with rows of round -suckers, which are so strong that if even a small -cuttle catches hold of you, it will not be very -easy to make him let go. So if you do happen -to find a cuttle in a rock-pool it will be better to -watch him in the water, without attempting to -catch him.</p> - -<p>Down in the middle of all these branching arms, -just where they spring from the head, are two -very curious organs. The first of these is the -beak, which is very strong, very sharp, and a -good deal hooked. In fact, it is rather like that -of a parrot. The other consists of two tubes -which run downwards into the head, lying side -by side together like the barrels of a double-barrelled -gun.</p> - -<p>These tubes are called the “siphon,” and they -are used for three purposes.</p> - -<p>First of all, they are used for breathing. The -cuttle breathes water by means of gills, like those -of fishes, which lie inside the head; and the -water passes down to them through one of the -siphon tubes, and then goes out again through -the other.</p> - -<p>Next, they are used for swimming. When a -cuttle wants to swim it gathers all its arms -together in front of its head, fills both its siphon -tubes with water, and then squirts their contents -out again as hard as it can. The result is that -two jets of water come rushing out of its head<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span> -with such force that the surrounding water cannot -give way fast enough before them. So they push -the cuttle backwards so swiftly that if it were -to dart across the pool you would hardly be able -to follow its movements.</p> - -<p>The third use of the siphon tubes is a very -strange one indeed. Sometimes while you are -looking at a cuttle in a rock-pool, the water all -round it will suddenly become quite dark, just as -if a quantity of ink had been poured into the pool. -And so it has; for inside its body the cuttle has -a bag which contains a quantity of a deep black -liquid called “sepia.” This bag is surrounded -by powerful muscles, and opens into the siphon -tubes; so that when the animal contracts the -muscles, the sepia is squirted out into the pool. -It always does this if it is frightened; and under -cover of the darkened water it nearly always succeeds -in making its escape.</p> - -<p>Inside its body the cuttle also has a very curious -object which is generally called a “cuttle-bone.” -It is not really a bone, however, but is made of -almost pure chalk, and seems to act as a kind of -support for the bodily organs.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate7"><span class="smcap">Plate VII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_018.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE CUTTLE.<span class="gap">2. THE EGGS OF CUTTLE.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>Another very odd thing about the cuttle is the -way in which it lays its eggs. These look just -like purple grapes, and each has a small stalk, by -means of which they are fastened together in -bunches. Indeed, the fishermen always call them -“sea-grapes.” You may often find them lying about<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span> -upon the beach in early spring, and if you open -one of them carefully, you will find a little baby -cuttle inside it.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE VIII<br /> - -THE WHELK (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>Everybody knows the shells of whelks by sight, -and you can hardly take a walk along the sea-shore -without seeing hundreds of them lying about -on the beach. And great numbers of whelks are -caught for human food, and also to serve as bait -for fishes.</p> - -<p>One very curious thing about whelks is the way -in which they lay their eggs. Very often indeed, -as you walk along the sandy sea-shore, you will -notice round clusters of yellowish white eggs, -which often go rolling along before the wind. -Each of these clusters is about as big as a cricket-ball, -and the eggs of which it is made up are -about as large as peas. Now these are the eggs -of whelks, and I think that every one who sees -them must wonder how these creatures can -possibly manage to lay such very big balls of -eggs. For each egg-ball is at least two or three -times as big as the biggest whelk.</p> - -<p>But, after all, the explanation is quite a simple -one. When the eggs are first laid they are very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span> -small indeed. Each is no bigger than a tiny -pin’s head. Instead of having shells, however, -these eggs have tough but very elastic skins; -and these skins are made in such a way that -while they allow water to soak in from the outside, -they will not allow it to pass out again. -So as soon as the eggs are dropped into the -sea they begin to swell; and the result is that -before very long each egg is as big as a good-sized -pea.</p> - -<p>If you pick up a cluster of these curious eggs -in the early spring and open them, you will find -inside each the shell of a very tiny whelk, which is -almost ready to hatch out.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE IX<br /> - -THE DOG WHELK (1)</h3> - -<p>If you look in the ridges of small pebbles and -bits of broken coal which you will meet with -here and there on the sandy parts of the sea-shore, -you are quite sure to find a number of -very small whelk shells. They are brownish -yellow outside, and pinkish white inside, and -instead of being quite smooth, like those of the -common whelk, they are covered with a number -of ribs which run down from the peak to -the margin. And these ribs are broken up in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span> -such a way that they look almost like rows of -beads.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate8"><span class="smcap">Plate VIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_020.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE WHELK.<span class="gap">2. THE EGGS OF WHELK.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>These are the shells of the Dog Whelk, and if -you wait until the tide is quite low, and then hunt -about on the weed-covered rocks close to the edge -of the sea, you will very likely find some of the -living animals crawling about. They feed upon -the sea-weeds by means of a curious organ called -the tooth-ribbon. This is just a narrow strip -of gristle, set with row upon row of very tiny -hooked teeth; and by drawing this backwards -and forwards over the leaves of the weeds the -animal scrapes off very tiny pieces, which it then -swallows.</p> - -<p>In the tooth-ribbon of one of these whelks there -are about a hundred rows of teeth, with about -nine teeth in each row: so that the animal has -nearly a thousand teeth altogether. But of -course you can only see them by means of a -powerful microscope.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE IX<br /> - -THE STING WINKLE (2)</h3> - -<p>Although this creature is called a “winkle” it is -really one of the whelks. It is very common, and -you may often find its empty shell lying upon the -shore. It is white, or yellowish white, in colour,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span> -and is generally about an inch and a half in length, -with several high ridges running down it from the -top to the bottom, and a number of smaller ridges -running crosswise between them.</p> - -<p>You would not think that this could be a very -dangerous creature, would you? It looks as harmless -as it can possibly be, and certainly you need -not be in the least afraid to pick up a sting -winkle if you find one crawling about, for it cannot -injure human beings. But to other shell-bearing -molluscs it is a very terrible foe indeed. I dare say -that you have often noticed, when you have been -picking up shells on the sea-shore, that a good -many of those shells had small round holes bored -through them. Well, those holes were pierced by -a sting winkle. For this animal is a creature of -prey, and feeds entirely on other animals which -live in shells; and when it meets with one it -fastens itself to its victim’s shell, and drills a hole -right through it by means of its tooth-ribbon. -It then pokes the tooth-ribbon through the hole -into the body of the animal inside, and draws it -back again. As it does so, of course, the sharp -hooked teeth drag away little bits of the animal’s -flesh, which the sting winkle swallows. It then -pokes its tooth-ribbon down again into the body -of the victim, and so on, over and over again, -until its hunger is satisfied.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE IX<br /> - -THE PERIWINKLE (3 and 4)</h3> - -<p>Of course you know the Periwinkle very well -indeed by sight—and very likely by taste, too! -So there is no need for me to describe it. But -perhaps you did not know that there are two -different kinds of periwinkles. One of these -is the Common Periwinkle, which is very plentiful -indeed on many parts of the coast. You -may find it in thousands and thousands if you -hunt about on the weed-covered rocks near -the water’s edge when the tide is out, and no -matter how many of them are caught, there -always seem to be just as many again next -day. This is the periwinkle which is used for -food.</p> - -<p>The other is the Dog Periwinkle. It is rather -larger, and has a stouter shell. If you want to -find it, you must look on the rocks about half-way -between high and low water-marks, and -there you will generally find it crawling about in -numbers. But it is not good for food, because -it often has a quantity of eggs inside its body, -and inside these eggs the shells of the baby -periwinkles are already formed, which make it -dreadfully gritty. Thrushes, however, as well as -a good many of the shore birds, do not mind this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span> -in the least, and they devour so many of both -these kinds of periwinkles that it is quite a wonder -that any are left alive.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE IX<br /> - -THE PURPURA (5)</h3> - -<p>In size and shape this very common creature -is rather like the dog periwinkle. But its shell -is white in colour instead of bluish black, and -generally has two or three bands of light yellowish -brown running round it. You may often find it -crawling about on the weed-covered rocks when -the tide is out.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate9"><span class="smcap">Plate IX</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_024.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE DOG WHELK.<span class="gap">2. THE STING WINKLE.</span><br /> - -3. THE PERIWINKLE.<span class="gap">4. THE DOG PERIWINKLE.</span><br /> - -5. THE PURPURA.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The purpura is quite a famous creature, because -of the use which was made of it by the ancient -Romans. I dare say you know that in days of -old the colour of purple was very highly valued; -and among the Romans only members of the royal -family were allowed to dress in purple garments. -Now this purple dye was obtained from the -purpura. Inside its body this creature has a -little bag which contains about a drop of a thick -white liquid, rather like milk. Certainly it does -not look in the least like purple dye. But if you -were to squeeze it out on to a sheet of white -paper, and to place it in the sunshine, you would -very soon see that it was changing colour. In<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span> -a few minutes’ time it would have turned to yellow. -After a little time longer you would notice a blue -tinge creeping into the yellow, and turning it to -green; and by degrees the blue would become -stronger and stronger, till the green disappeared. -At last a crimson tinge would creep into the blue -and turn it to purple; and this would be exactly -the same as the famous purple dye which the -ancient Romans valued so highly.</p> - -<p>The eggs which are laid by the purpura are -very curious indeed, for they are fastened down -to stones by little stalks; so that each one looks -rather like an egg-cup with an egg inside it. -And inside each of these eggs are several little -purpuras instead of only one.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE X<br /> - -THE SEA SNAIL (1)</h3> - -<p>This is one of the very commonest of all the -shell-bearing molluscs. You may find it crawling -about in numbers all over the weed-covered -rocks which are left bare as the tide goes down. -Its shell varies very much in colour, for it is -sometimes bright yellow, and sometimes pale -yellow, and sometimes olive green, and sometimes -brown, and sometimes almost black. Indeed, -you might almost think that there were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> -half-a-dozen different kinds of these sea snails -instead of only one.</p> - -<p>These creatures have tooth-ribbons set with -hundreds of tiny hooked teeth, just like those -of the dog whelks, and they use them in feeding -upon the leaves of sea-weeds in just the -same way.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE X<br /> - -THE WENTLETRAP (2)</h3> - -<p>The Wentletrap is one of the most beautiful -of all the shells which are to be found upon -the shore. Indeed, I really think that it is -quite the most beautiful. For the high ridges -which stand out so boldly run round and round -it in the most graceful curves, and the whole -shell looks just as if it had been carved out of -ivory.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate10"><span class="smcap">Plate X</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_026.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SEA SNAIL.<span class="gap">2. THE WENTLETRAP.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The wentletrap is sometimes known as the -“staircase shell,” because the ridges which run -round it are very much like those spiral staircases -by which one climbs to the tops of -church towers and other lofty buildings. If you -want to find it, the best place to look is in the -ridges of small pebbles which are washed up -here and there on sandy coasts by the waves, -and which are generally mixed up with broken -coal which has been thrown out from passing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> -ships. But it is not very common, and you must -not be disappointed if you do not succeed in -finding it.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XI<br /> - -THE COMMON LIMPET (1)</h3> - -<p>This is a very common creature indeed, and you -can find it in hundreds and thousands on any -rocky part of the coast. Numbers of its empty -shells are to be found lying about on the beach, -and if you go down among the rocks when the -tide is out you will often notice that in some -places they are so covered with limpets that you -can scarcely put the tip of your finger in between -them.</p> - -<p>These animals cling to the rocks in the most -wonderful way. Indeed, if you take hold of a big -limpet between your fingers you will not be able to -move it in the least, even if you pull at it and push -at it as hard as you can. But if you take the -animal by surprise, and give it a sharp, sudden -blow sideways with a stone, or the end of a stout -stick, you can generally knock it off quite easily. -And you will very often find that a deep ring-shaped -mark has been worn away in the rock by -the sharp edges of its shell.</p> - -<p>However, limpets do not always remain clinging<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span> -to the rocks, for they can crawl about quite as -easily as snails can, by means of that soft, fleshy -part of the body which we call the “foot.” And if -you take them home alive, and put them into -an aquarium, you may often see them creeping up -and down the glass sides, through which you can -examine their bodies quite easily.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XI<br /> - -THE KEY-HOLE LIMPET (2)</h3> - -<p>There are a good many different kinds of -limpets, of which one of the most curious is the -Key-hole Limpet. It is generally found in rather -deep water, but you may sometimes find it clinging -to the rocks just above low-water mark. You -must choose a season of “spring-tide,” however, -for then the tide goes farther out than usual, and -leaves behind it a good many creatures which at -other times one hardly ever sees.</p> - -<p>The shell of this creature is rather stouter than -that of the common limpet, and has a number of -ridges running down it from the peak to the -margin. Even by these you can tell it at once. -But if you look at it closely, you will also find that -just at the top of the peak there is a hole shaped -rather like a key-hole. Through this hole the -animal squirts out the water which has passed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span> -over its gills; so that all the time that it is -breathing, if only one could see it, a kind of little -fountain is playing under water, spouting out from -the top of its shell!</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XI<br /> - -THE SMOOTH LIMPET (3)</h3> - -<p>At first sight, perhaps, you would hardly take -this creature for a limpet at all, for it is ever so -much smaller than either the common or the key-hole -limpets, and has a very thin and delicate shell -indeed. It varies a good deal in colour, but generally -the shell is pale brown, looking almost like -polished horn, with eight or nine narrow streaks -of bright blue running down from the peak to the -margin. It is often called the “bonnet shell,” -because in shape it is rather like an old-fashioned -bonnet.</p> - -<p>You may often find the empty shells of this -creature lying upon the shore. But if you take -them home you will find that as soon as they -become dry the beautiful blue streaks begin to -fade, and that after a few days you can hardly see -them at all.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XI<br /> - -THE CUP AND SAUCER LIMPET (4)</h3> - -<p>This is a very curious creature indeed. But if -you want to see why its rather odd name was -given to it, you must look inside its shell instead -of outside. Then you will see that in the upper -part is a curved plate which really looks very -much like a tiny tea-cup, while the shell itself -surrounds it just like a saucer. And if you were -to examine the animal which lives inside it very -carefully, and to pull out its long tooth-ribbon, -you would find at the tip of it a curious little -organ which looks just like a tea-spoon. So that -we have cup, saucer, and spoon all in one!</p> - -<p>Perhaps you may wonder what the odd little -cup is for. Well, the fact is that the muscles by -means of which the animal clings to the rock -are very strong indeed. So, of course, there must -be something else very strong to which they can -be fastened, and this cup-shaped plate gives them -a very firm hold.</p> - -<p>The cup and saucer limpet is not a very common -creature, and in many parts of the coast it is -never met with at all. But if you stay by the sea-side -on the south coast of England, you may -sometimes find its empty shell lying upon the -shore.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate11"><span class="smcap">Plate XI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_030.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE LIMPET.<span class="gap">2. THE KEY-HOLE LIMPET.</span><br /> - -3. THE SMOOTH LIMPET.<span class="gap">4. THE CUP AND SAUCER LIMPET.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XII<br /> - -THE PAINTED TOP (1)</h3> - -<p>Tops are generally very common indeed on the -sandy parts of the shore. You cannot possibly -mistake their shells for those of any other -creatures, for they are cone-shaped, looking very -much like rather flattened sugar-loaves, and are -generally very beautifully coloured. So pretty -are they, indeed, that they are sometimes strung -together and worn as necklaces, or used for ornamenting -ladies’ dresses.</p> - -<p>The painted top is one of the most beautiful -of all these shells, for it is covered all over with -spots and streaks and blotches of scarlet, and -crimson, and pink, and purple, and white, and -blue, and yellow! But all this lovely colouring -is only on the outer coat of the shell, which is -very easily chipped off. The consequence is that -these shells are very often damaged by being -tossed to and fro by the waves, and though you -may often find twenty or thirty in the course of -a morning, not more than two or three, perhaps, -will be quite uninjured.</p> - -<p>Tops are very useful creatures to have alive -in an aquarium, for they keep the glass sides -clean from the tiny green weeds which so quickly -grow upon them. They do this by means of their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span> -tooth-ribbons, and you may see them crawling -about on the glass walls and mowing down the -weeds, just as a gardener cuts the grass on the -lawn with his scythe.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XII<br /> - -THE GREY TOP (2)</h3> - -<p>The painted top is rather a large shell, for it -is often nearly an inch in height from the peak -to the margin. But the Grey Top, which is even -commoner still, is a good deal smaller. It is -not nearly so brightly tinted as the painted top, -for it is yellowish grey in colour, with zigzag -black streaks running round and round it, which -give it rather a mottled look. Still, it is a very -pretty shell indeed.</p> - -<p>If you look at a top shell from underneath, -you will always find that there is a small -hole in the bottom. This is the entrance to -a passage which runs right up into the peak -of the shell. In the grey top this hole is just -about big enough to admit a rather fine -needle.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XII<br /> - -THE COWRY (3)</h3> - -<p>No doubt you have often found this very -pretty shell, for on the sandy parts of our coasts -it is sometimes very common. You may often -find twenty or thirty cowries, indeed, in one of -those ridges of pebbles and small coal which -are washed up by every tide. But if you were -to see the living animals crawling about I do -not think that you would ever guess what they -were, for their soft bodies come outside their -shells, which they cover up so completely that -you can hardly see them at all.</p> - -<p>If you look on the upper part of the shell, you -will see that a pale streak runs across it from -one side to the other. This streak marks the -line where the edges of the two sides of the -body almost meet.</p> - -<p>In some parts of the world cowry shells are -used instead of money. It seems rather an easy -way of getting rich, doesn’t it, just to go and -pick up shells on the sea-shore? But then -fifteen hundred of these cowries are only worth -about a shilling, so that you would have to pick -up a very great many even if you only wanted -to do a day’s shopping! And then they are ever<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span> -so much bigger than our English cowries, so -that it would not be very easy to carry them -about. You would have to take several sacks -full of cowries with you when you went to make -a purchase, instead of just keeping your money -in a purse!</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XII<br /> - -THE CHITON (4)</h3> - -<p>The chiton is one of the oddest of all the shell-bearing -molluscs; for it does not look like a -mollusc at all. It looks much more like a kind -of sea woodlouse, or a very tiny armadillo. For -instead of having a single shell like a whelk -or a periwinkle, or a double one like a cockle -or an oyster, it has eight shelly plates on its -back which overlap one another, just like the -tiles on the roof of a house. And if you touch -it, it will often roll itself up into a kind of ball, -just like the pill-millepedes, or “monkey-peas,” -which are so common in our gardens.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate12"><span class="smcap">Plate XII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_034.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE PAINTED TOP.<span class="gap">2. THE GREY TOP.</span><br /> - -3. THE COWRY.<span class="gap">4. THE CHITON.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>This creature is called the Chiton, and if you -want to find it you must go and look on the -piles at the end of a pier, or on the rocks which -are left bare at very low tides. There you will -often find it in hundreds. Generally it is ashy -grey in colour, but it varies a good deal in hue, -and you will sometimes find examples which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span> -are streaked and mottled with pink, and orange, -and white, and lilac, and chocolate brown.</p> - -<p>Before a chiton reaches its perfect form it -passes through a kind of caterpillar stage, and -then turns into a sort of chrysalis, just as an -insect does. And both the caterpillar and the -chrysalis, strange to say, have eyes upon their -heads, while the perfect chiton has none. But -some chitons have eyes all over their shells -instead, and in some of these very odd creatures -between eleven and twelve thousand eyes have -been counted, the shells being almost entirely -covered with them; so that the animals may -really be said to see with their whole bodies!</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER III<br /> - - -BIVALVE MOLLUSCS</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE XIII<br /> - -THE OYSTER (1)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">THE “bivalve” molluscs are so called because -they live in shells made of two parts, or -“valves,” which are fastened together by means -of a hinge. There are a great many of these, -and the Oyster is one of the best known of -them all.</p> - -<p>This creature is only found in places where -the bottom of the sea is muddy, because in -sandy places the sand is very apt to get into -the hinges of the shells and to prevent them -from being closed; and in that case the animal -very soon dies from suffocation. So oysters are -generally found in the mouths of rivers, or in -land-locked bays where there is no sand at all.</p> - -<p>The history of these creatures is a very curious -one indeed.</p> - -<p>In the month of May the mother oyster produces -a very large number of eggs—sometimes as -many as eight or nine hundred thousand! These -are called “oyster spat,” and for several weeks<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span> -she keeps them in her gills. Then one day she -suddenly opens her valves and squirts them out -into the water, where they look like a little cloud -of the finest possible dust. For a short time after -these eggs hatch the baby oysters swim about, -and travel backwards and forwards as the tide -rises and falls. After a while, however, they sink -down and fasten themselves to some object at the -bottom of the sea; and when once they have done -this they never move again. They always lie -upon their left sides, with the smaller and flatter -of the two valves uppermost; and there they -remain for five years at least before they reach -their full size.</p> - -<p>Oysters feed, too, in a very odd way. You -know, perhaps, that inside the shell of an oyster -there is a tufted organ which we call the “beard.” -This consists of the gills. Hidden away underneath -these is the mouth; and the gills do not -merely suck out the air which has been dissolved -in the water, as those of other animals do, but -sift out every little tiny scrap of decaying matter -which the oyster can use for food as well. So an -oyster’s gills enable it to breathe and to catch its -dinner at the same time!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XIII<br /> - -THE SADDLE OYSTER (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very curious oyster; for in its flat -lower valve, just below the hinge, is a large oval -hole. Through this hole passes a strong band of -muscle, to which is fastened a kind of shelly knob -which looks just like a button. By means of this -the animal fastens itself down to some object at -the bottom of the sea; and very often indeed it is -found attached to the shells of other molluscs, -looking something like the saddle on the back -of a horse. That is why it is called the “saddle -oyster.”</p> - -<p>Another curious fact about this creature is -that very often its shape completely alters as -it grows older. While it is quite small it -looks very much like an ordinary oyster. But -as time goes on it generally takes the form -of the object on which it rests. So you might -easily find half-a-dozen shells of the saddle -oyster, not one of which would be shaped like -any of the others.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate13"><span class="smcap">Plate XIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_038.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE OYSTER.<span class="gap">2. THE SADDLE OYSTER.</span><br /> - -3. THE COCKLE.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span></p> - -<h3>PLATE XIII<br /> - -THE COCKLE (3)</h3> - -<p>This is one of the very commonest of all the -creatures of the sea-shore, and you may find its -heart-shaped shells lying about on the beach in -hundreds and thousands. In many places, indeed, -cockle-shells are found in such wonderful -numbers that they are crushed up and used for -covering pathways instead of gravel.</p> - -<p>Yet you may wander about on the shore day -after day for weeks together and never see a -living cockle. How is this?</p> - -<p>Well, the reason is that cockles live buried -underneath the sand. If you go down near the -edge of the waves when the tide is quite low, and -just stand still for a minute or two and watch, you -are almost sure to see first one little jet of water, -and then another, and then another, come squirting -up out of the sand into the air. Now these -little jets of water are thrown up by cockles -which are lying buried in the wet sandy mud -below. For every now and then these creatures -draw down a little water into their gills, through -one of their siphon tubes, and when they have -sucked all the air out of it they squirt it up -again through the other.</p> - -<p>Would you like to dig one of them up and look -at it? Well, just take a wooden spade and try.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span> -You will find that you cannot do it, for the cockle -can dig a good deal faster than you can. The -fact is that he has a very strong, fleshy organ -which we call the “foot,” and with this he can -burrow down into the sandy mud so quickly -that by the time you have dug to a depth of six -inches, he will have gone down to the depth -of ten or twelve.</p> - -<p>The cockle uses this “foot” for another purpose -as well, for he can jump with it. And if you did -succeed in digging him out of the ground, you -would very likely see him skipping about in the -most active way, almost like a sandhopper!</p> - -<p>Upon some parts of the coast another kind of -cockle is found, which has its “foot” of a bright -red colour. For this reason it is generally known -as the “red-nosed cockle.”</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XIV<br /> - -THE MUSSEL (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>Mussels are almost, if not quite, as plentiful as -cockles. If you walk down underneath a pier or a -jetty when the tide is out, you will often find that -the pillars which support it are covered with great -clusters of these creatures; and very often the -rocks which are left dry at low-water are covered -with them in just the same way. They fasten<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span> -themselves down by means of a bundle of very -strong threads, which we call the “byssus”; and -these hold so firmly, that although the waves -may beat upon a bed of mussels day after day -all through the year, they never succeed in tearing -them away.</p> - -<p>Near the town of Bideford in Devonshire, indeed, -there is a bridge which is only kept standing -by means of mussels. This bridge, which is a -very long one, with twenty-four arches, runs across -the Towridge River, close to the place where it -joins the Taw; and the tide runs so rapidly that -if mortar is used to repair the bridge it is very -soon washed away. So boat-loads of mussels are -brought to the bridge from time to time, and these -anchor themselves down so firmly by means of -their byssus threads that they actually hold the -stone-work together!</p> - -<p>Sometimes, however, mussels do a great deal -of harm, for they will get into an oyster-bed and -fasten themselves down upon the shells of the -oysters. Their byssus threads then form a kind -of thick mat, which collects and holds the mud -that is brought up by the tide every time that -it rises; and this very soon covers the oysters -entirely up, and smothers them to death.</p> - -<p>Mussels do not remain fastened down in one -place for the whole of their lives, however, as -oysters do. They can crawl about quite easily -whenever they like. And they do this, also, by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span> -means of their byssus threads. First they move -a few of these threads forward, and take a fresh -hold with them; then they draw the rest up after -them; and then they move the front ones forward -once more, and so on over and over again.</p> - -<p>Mussels are very largely used for food, and -also as bait for deep-sea fishing. In the Firth of -Forth alone, indeed, nearly forty millions of these -creatures are collected every year for this latter -purpose alone, or one for every man, woman, and -child in England and Scotland and Wales!</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XIV<br /> - -THE HORSE MUSSEL (3)</h3> - -<p>This is not a very handsome creature, for its -shell is covered all over with a rather thick brown -skin, which is very much wrinkled. It is quite -common in many places, and yet one does not -very often see it; for it is nearly always hidden -underneath its byssus threads, which grow -in thick masses. Besides this, it often burrows -underneath the surface of the sand; so that -unless you know just <i>where</i> to look for it, and -<i>how</i> to look for it, you are not likely to find it.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate14"><span class="smcap">Plate XIV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_042.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. INSIDE OF MUSSEL SHELL.<span class="gap">2. THE MUSSEL.</span><br /> - -3. THE HORSE MUSSEL.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>But if you go down to the pools at the very -edge of the water when the tide is quite low, -and scrape away the sand which is heaped up<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span> -against the bottom of the rocks, you may very -likely come upon quite a large cluster of these -curious creatures.</p> - -<p>Horse mussels are not used for food as common -mussels are, because they have a very strong -and unpleasant taste.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XV<br /> - -THE VARIABLE SCALLOP (1)</h3> - -<p>A good many different kinds of scallops are -found on our shores. One of them—the Common -Scallop—is as large as the palm of a man’s hand, -and is used for food. You may often see it in -fishmongers’ shops. But you are not at all likely -to find its empty shells lying on the shore, for -it lives in rather deep water. You may find those -of the Variable Scallop, however, very often indeed -in places where the shore is sandy. It is -called the “variable” scallop because it varies so -much in colour that one hardly ever sees two of -its shells which are quite alike. Sometimes they -are crimson, sometimes pink, sometimes mauve, -sometimes dark yellow, sometimes golden yellow, -and sometimes blotched and mottled with different -colours. A number of ridges run down the -shell from the hinge to the margin, and on each -of these is a row of short spikes; so that the -animal looks something like a tipsy-cake!</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>Scallops swim in a rather curious way, namely, -by opening and shutting their valves over and -over again. As often as they do this a jet of -water is squirted out, and this acts on the surrounding -water just like the jets which are -squirted from the siphon tubes of the cuttle, and -drives the animal along with some little speed. -As it travels through the water it looks very -pretty, for all round the edges of its shell it has -a fringe of long feelers, which wave up and down -in a most graceful way. By means of these it -obtains its food. At the base of these feelers is -a row of little black dots, which seem to be -eyes.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XV<br /> - -THE RADIATED SCALLOP (2)</h3> - -<p>This is rather a rare shell, and if you find it -lying upon the shore you will be fortunate. You -may know it at once if you <i>do</i> find it, for it only -has six or seven ridges running down it, instead -of about twice that number. It varies a good deal -in colour, but is generally reddish brown, spotted -and speckled with white.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate15"><span class="smcap">Plate XV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_044.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE VARIABLE SCALLOP.<span class="gap">2. THE RADIATED SCALLOP.</span><br /> -3. THE HUNCHBACK SCALLOP.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XV<br /> - -THE HUNCHBACK SCALLOP (3)</h3> - -<p>It is very easy to see why this creature is called -the “hunchback,” for although when it is quite -small it is shaped just like other scallops, it alters -in form very much as it grows bigger; so that -really it sometimes looks as if it had been -crumpled up when it was quite soft, and had -never recovered from the squeeze. Besides this, -the two valves are not alike, as they are in -other scallops, for while one is always very -deep and rounded, the other is nearly flat. So -when the animal is alive it really has a kind of -“hunchbacked” appearance; and if you found -its two valves lying apart from one another you -would hardly believe that they could both have -belonged to the same creature.</p> - -<p>The colour of the hunchbacked scallop is -white, mottled with brick-red.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XVI<br /> - -THE SUNSET SHELL (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very “local” shell. That is, it is -very common indeed in some places, so that you -might pick up hundreds and hundreds in a few<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span> -minutes, while in other places it is never found -at all. The best place in which to look for it -is a part of the beach where sand and mud are -mingled together, and there you will be almost -sure to find it.</p> - -<p>The name of “sunset” shell has been given -to it because of the beautiful way in which the -inside surface is coloured. Sometimes it is rosy -pink all over; sometimes it is orange yellow; -sometimes it has crimson streaks upon a whitish -ground. But you can never look at it without -being reminded of the evening sky after a very -bright sunset. The outside of the shell, however, -is always white and chalky-looking, and no -one who saw the two valves fastened together -as they are when the animal is alive would have -the least idea how beautiful they really are.</p> - -<p>This creature always lives buried in the sandy -mud, just as the cockle does. It has a very -powerful “foot,” by means of which it burrows, -and two long and very slender siphon tubes.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XVI<br /> - -THE GAPER (3)</h3> - -<p>This is another of the shell-bearing molluscs -which live in burrows in the sandy mud, and -it is called the “gaper” because the shells are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span> -always open at the top, just as if the animal were -yawning, or gaping. Through this opening the -siphon tubes project. These tubes are used in -breathing, just like those of the cuttle, and are -enclosed in a kind of leathery case, which the -animal can stretch out or draw back at will; -so that when it is lying at the bottom of its -burrow it can keep the tips of the siphon tubes -just above the surface of the mud, and so draw -water down to its gills quite easily.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate16"><span class="smcap">Plate XVI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_046.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. INSIDE OF SUNSET SHELL.<span class="gap">2. THE SUNSET SHELL.</span><br /> - -3. THE GAPER.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>On some parts of the coast gapers are used -as food. But if you want to buy some you must -not call them “gapers.” You must call them -“old maids”; for by that name they are always -called by the fishermen. Some of the sea-birds -are very fond of them too, and dig them out -of their burrows with their long beaks. And in -the far North millions and millions of them are -devoured by walruses, and also by Arctic foxes, -which prowl about the shore in search of them -every day when the tide goes down.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XVII<br /> - -THE PIDDOCK (1)</h3> - -<p>Now we come to one of the most wonderful -of all the creatures which live in the sea; -namely, the Piddock. You can find its empty<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span> -shells lying about in numbers on almost any -part of the shore where the cliffs are made of -chalk or limestone. And if you look at the rocks -which are left dry when the tide goes down -you will see the entrances to its burrows—large, -oval holes, several of which you may often -find quite close together. For the piddock is -a boring shell, which drives its tunnels through -and through the rocks, until very often they are -quite honeycombed by its tunnels. Sometimes you -may meet with a big block of chalk which only -weighs about half as much as it should, because -all the rest has been cut away by piddocks. -And if you could split it open you would find -several of these creatures lying in their burrows.</p> - -<p>But how they manage to cut their way through -the hard chalk, or the still harder limestone, -nobody quite knows. Most likely, however, they -do so partly by means of the soft part of the body -which we call the “foot,” and partly by means -of the shell, which they turn first a little bit -to one side, and then a little bit to the other -side, just like a man who is using a bradawl. -Every now and then, of course, the burrow gets -choked up with the material which has been -scraped away. But the piddock knows quite -well what to do in order to clear it. It just -squirts out a jet of water from the siphon tubes, -by means of which it breathes, and so washes -the burrow out!</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span>Now let me tell you why I said that the piddock -is one of the most wonderful of all the creatures -which live in the sea.</p> - -<p>First of all, then, remember that the sea, acting -by itself, has very little power to wash away -chalk. For as soon as the waves begin to beat -upon the face of a chalk cliff, they leave on it -the spores, or seeds, of sea-weeds. Very soon -those spores begin to grow, and before long the -surface of the cliff is covered with masses of -weed, so that the sea hardly touches the chalk -underneath them at all. The waves might beat -upon the cliffs for hundreds and hundreds of -years without breaking it down.</p> - -<p>But the piddock comes and burrows into the -chalk just below high-water mark. Backwards -and forwards it goes boring on, till at last only -thin dividing walls are left between its tunnels. -Then the sea washes in, and breaks down these -walls, so that the whole foundation of the cliff -is cut away. The result is, of course, that before -very long there is a landslip. Hundreds -of tons of chalk come tumbling down into the -sea. Then the piddocks begin work again a -little farther back, and by-and-by there is another -landslip.</p> - -<p>You can see the effects of the piddock’s work -upon any part of the coast where there are -chalk cliffs. Just look at the beach when the -tide is out. You will notice long spits of weed-covered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span> -rocks, which sometimes run far out into -the sea. Well, those rocks were not always -rocks. They were once the bottoms of cliffs. -But the piddocks and the sea, working together, -cut the cliffs down; so that the sea gained, yard -by yard, upon the land.</p> - -<p>Indeed, I think that it may be said, quite truly, -that if it had not been for the work of the piddocks -Great Britain would not be an island! At -any rate we do know this, that once, a great many -hundreds of thousands of years ago, Great Britain -was not an island at all, but was joined to the -mainland of the Continent of Europe. And we -also know that the sea, acting by itself, could not -possibly have cut a passage through what we now -call the Straits of Dover. The piddocks helped it -to do so! They kept on cutting away the foundation -of the cliffs by boring backwards and forwards -through the solid chalk, just below the level of the -waves; and the sea finished the work which the -piddocks had begun, by breaking down the thin -dividing walls between their burrows.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XVII<br /> - -THE LITTLE PIDDOCK (2 and 3)</h3> - -<p>The common piddock grows to a length of from -three to five inches, and is almost always white -in colour, though sometimes it is stained by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span> -rocks in which it lives. But there is another kind -of piddock which is very much smaller, for its -shells hardly ever measure more than an inch and -a half in length, and are a good deal narrower in -proportion to their size. This creature is called -the Little Piddock. It is generally of a brownish -yellow colour, and you may often find its burrows -in great numbers in limestone rocks.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate17"><span class="smcap">Plate XVII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_050.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE PIDDOCK.<span class="gap">2. AND 3. THE LITTLE PIDDOCK.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<h3>PLATE XVIII<br /> - -THE SHIP-WORM (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>This creature certainly does not look in the -very least like a mollusc; and I do not think -that anybody who had never seen it before -would ever guess that it is really quite a near -relation of the piddocks. It looks much more -like a kind of worm, for it has a soft round -body no larger than an ordinary drawing pencil, -though it is often as much as ten or even twelve -inches in length. But if you were to look at the -head end of its body you would see its bivalve -shells, though they are so very small that they -might easily be mistaken for jaws. And these -would show you that the animal is really a shell-bearing -mollusc.</p> - -<p>The shipworm is a most mischievous creature, -for instead of burrowing into chalk or limestone<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span> -rocks, like the piddocks, it bores into timber, such -as the hulls of ships, and the posts which support -jetties and piers. Very often it cuts away more -than half the wood in a great beam, leaving only -the thinnest walls between its tunnels. And as it -works along it lines these tunnels with a curious -shelly substance, which strengthens them and prevents -them from breaking down.</p> - -<p>By burrowing into timber in this way the shipworm -often does most terrible damage. But it -seems to dislike the taste of iron rust very much -indeed. So when a beam of timber has to be protected -from its attacks, a number of iron nails -with very broad, flat heads are driven into the -surface, with only the space of an inch or two -between them. The salt-water acts upon these -very quickly, and the result is that the whole of -the beam is very soon covered over with a thin -coating of rust, so that no shipworm will attempt -to touch it.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate18"><span class="smcap">Plate XVIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_052.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SHIP-WORM.<span class="gap">2. WOOD BORED BY SHIP-WORMS.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>When the shipworm is quite small it is not in -the least like the perfect animal. Indeed, if you -were to see a baby shipworm, I do not think that -you would ever guess what it was. It is really -a kind of shipworm caterpillar. In shape it is -nearly round, and is covered almost all over with -tiny hair-like organs, by means of which it swims -in the water. But the odd thing about it is that -it keeps on changing its form. After about thirty-six -hours it becomes oval. A few hours later, if<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> -you were to look at it again, you would find that -it was almost triangular. A few hours later still -it would be round again, just as it was when it -first hatched out of the egg. And during this -time of its life it has a strong fleshy “foot,” like -that of a snail, so that if it becomes tired of -swimming it can settle down and crawl about -on the surface of the rocks.</p> - -<p>Have you ever been through the Thames -tunnel? If you have, you will be interested to -know that it is made just like a shipworm’s -burrow, for a kind of boring instrument, called -a “shield,” was made, which enabled the workmen -to line the walls with masonry as fast as -the earth was cut away. In this way the walls -were prevented from falling in, and water from -the river above was kept from breaking through -the roof and flooding the tunnel. And Brunel, -the great engineer who constructed the tunnel, -admitted that the idea had come to him one -day when he was examining the burrow of this -wonderful mollusc.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XIX<br /> - -THE RAZOR (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>If you walk about very quietly, when the tide -is out, on the stretch of wet, sandy mud which -lies just above low-water mark, you may often<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span> -see a very curious object resting at the surface, -and looking just like a little key-hole. And if -you step heavily anywhere near it, it is almost -sure to squirt up a little jet of water into the air -and disappear. Then you may be quite sure that -you have found the burrow of a Razor Shell.</p> - -<p>This is a very long, narrow creature with -bivalve shells, which are shaped almost exactly -like the handle of a razor. It is generally about -four or five inches in length and half-an-inch -in width, and the object which looks so like a -key-hole consists of its siphon tubes, the tips of -which rest just above the surface of the sand -when it is lying at the mouth of its burrow. -It digs by means of its strong, fleshy “foot,” just -as the cockle does, and its burrow, which goes -straight downwards just like a well, is often as -much as two feet deep. So it is not a very easy -thing to get a razor out of its tunnel. But if you -want to do so I can tell you how to manage it. -Just take a good big pinch of salt, and drop it -down into the hole. Now the razor does not -like salt at all, even though most of its life is -spent at the bottom of the salt-water, and it -comes up to the mouth of its burrow in a great -hurry to get rid of it. Then if you make a very -quick stroke with a spade you can dig it out -before it has time to get down to the bottom -again. But if you should fail to get it up at -the first attempt it is of no use to try again,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> -for even if you pour down a whole handful of salt -the animal will never come up a second time.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate19"><span class="smcap">Plate XIX</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_054.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE RAZOR.<span class="gap">2. TOP OF RAZOR FROM FRONT.</span><br /> - -3. THE SABRE RAZOR.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The razor is very good to eat, if its tough -leathery skin is slipped off, and on some parts of -the coast it is often used for food. The fishermen -use it for bait, too, and catch it by means -of a slender iron rod with a barbed tip, which -they thrust into its body as it lies at the bottom -of its burrow.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XIX<br /> - -THE SABRE RAZOR (3)</h3> - -<p>There are several different kinds of Razors, -and one of them is called the “sabre razor,” -because its shells are curved, just like the -scabbard of a sabre. It is fairly common, but -you are never likely to find its burrows, unless -you go to look for them just at low-water after -a spring-tide, because it almost always lives -below the ordinary low-water mark. But after -spring-tides—which come twice in every month, -once when the moon is new and once when it -is full—the waves retreat much farther than they -do at other times. Then, if you go right down -to the water’s edge, you may often find creatures -which you will never meet with higher up on the -beach. And one of these is the sabre razor.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XX<br /> - -THE PINNA</h3> - -<p>This is the largest of all the shell-bearing -molluscs which live in our British seas, for it -has been known to reach a length of nearly two -feet. It is found chiefly on our southern coasts, -and always lies upright, half buried in the mud -at the bottom of the water, with its shells partly -opened. And it always fastens itself down by -a bunch of “byssus” threads, like those of the -mussel, which are so strong that it takes a very -hard pull indeed to tear them away from their -hold.</p> - -<p>In the British Museum you may see a pair of -gloves which have been made out of the byssus -threads of a pinna, and if these creatures were -more plentiful their threads would no doubt be -used in this way very largely indeed.</p> - -<p>Now why do you think that the pinna always -rests at the bottom of the water with its shells -partly opened?</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate20"><span class="smcap">Plate XX</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_056.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE PINNA.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>Well, the reason is a very odd one. It is -setting a trap for fishes! For fishes, as perhaps -you know, are very inquisitive creatures. They -always want to know all about everything, and -whenever they see a hole they think that they -must find out what is inside it. So when a little<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span> -fish comes swimming past a pinna, and catches -sight of its gaping shells, it is almost sure to -venture in between them. Then the shells close -tightly, and it finds itself in a prison from which -there is no escape; and very soon it is killed and -devoured.</p> - -<p>In colour, the shells of the pinna are very pale -brown, and a number of ridges run down it from -the smaller end to the larger. When the animal -is full-grown it is sometimes not at all easy to -see its shells, for they are covered almost all -over with barnacles and the tubes of sea-worms.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IV<br /> - - -CRABS</h2> -</div> - -<h3>HOW CRABS GROW</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">IF you hunt about in the pools among the -rocks when the tide goes out, and look behind -the masses of sea-weeds which cover them, -you are quite sure to find a good many crabs of -several different kinds. Before I tell you about -these, however, I think you would like to know -something about the way in which these curious -creatures grow.</p> - -<p>Remember, then, in the first place, that what -we always call the “shell” of a crab is not -really a shell at all. That is, it is not in the -least like the shell of an oyster, or a periwinkle, -or a cowry, or a whelk. In these creatures the -shell grows together with the animal inside it, -and is never thrown off all through their lives. -But the “shell” of a crab never grows at all. -It is really a kind of crust of lime on the outside -of the skin, which will not even stretch -in the very least degree. So the only way in -which crabs can grow is by throwing off their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span> -“shells,” in order that the soft bodies underneath -may increase in size.</p> - -<p>So once in every year, until it reaches its full -size, every crab has to cast off its shelly covering -and get a new one in its place. A few days -before the change takes place it always goes -and hides away in some dark crevice among the -rocks, or behind an overhanging mass of sea-weed, -where none of its many enemies are likely -to find it. It knows perfectly well, you see, that -while it is without its coat of mail it will be -quite helpless; for its claws will be so soft that -it will not be able to use them, while its body -will be quite unprotected. Then a very strange -thing indeed takes place. Something like a -third part of its flesh turns into water! If you -were to catch the animal at this time and to -shake it, you would be able to hear the water -swishing about inside its shell! Then it gets -very restless indeed, and begins to wriggle about -a good deal, turning and twisting from side to -side, and rubbing its legs against one another, -till it is quite tired out. It then rests for a little -while, and begins to wriggle and twist about -again. The fact is that it is trying to get loose, -as it were, inside its “shell.” After a time it -succeeds in doing this, so that the “shell” is -no longer fastened to its body at all. Then, -quite suddenly, a rent opens right across its -back, and the crab gathers itself together and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span> -leaps, with a mighty effort, right out of its old -coat! And as soon as it has done so the rent -closes up again, so that unless you look very -carefully indeed you cannot see it. You might -really think that two crabs were lying side by -side together.</p> - -<p>For about a couple of hours the crab now lies -perfectly still; and if you were to feel it you -would find that its body was hard and knotted -all over. That is because its muscles are cramped -after the violent efforts which it has been making. -After a time, however, the cramp passes off. -Then the animal begins to grow. It grows -very fast indeed. In fact it grows so fast that -you can almost see it growing, and in less than -twenty-four hours it is sometimes nearly half -as big again as it was before. A new “shell” -then begins to form upon the skin, and in about -a couple of days more the animal is able to leave -its retreat, clothed once more in a suit of good -stout armour.</p> - -<p>That is the way in which crabs, and lobsters, -and shrimps, and prawns all grow. Once in -every year at least they get new “shells”; and -every time that they do so they increase in size. -But after they reach a certain age they grow -no more; and the coats of mail which they are -wearing then are kept to the end of their lives.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span></p> - - -<h3>HOW CRABS SEE</h3> - -<p>Perhaps, too, you would like to know something -about the eyes of crabs; for these creatures -see in a very odd way. On each side of -the head is a kind of stalk, something like those -which you may see on the heads of slugs and -snails, only very much smaller. And at the tip -of each stalk is a small black spot. Now if -you were to put one of these little stalks under -the microscope, and to look at the black spot, -you would find that it was made up of hundreds -and hundreds of very tiny eyes, very much like -those of insects, except that instead of being -six-sided they are square. So that altogether, -perhaps, a crab may have three or four thousand -eyes, or even more!</p> - -<p>That sounds a very large number, doesn’t it? -But then, you see, a crab cannot move its eyes -up and down, and from side to side, as we can. -They are fixed, and cannot be moved at all. -Each eye, however, looks in rather a different -direction from all the rest. Some eyes look -upwards, some look downwards, some look forwards, -some look backwards, and some look -out on either side. So without moving its head -at all the crab is able to see all round it.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span>Think of it in this way.</p> - -<p>Suppose that you take a telescope and look -through it. You can only see the objects at -which the telescope is pointed, not the objects -above it, or below it, or on each side. But if -you had four thousand telescopes, fastened together -in two bundles of a couple of thousand -telescopes each, all pointing in different directions, -<i>and if your eyes were made in such a way -that you could look through all the telescopes at -once</i>: then you would be able to see all round -you, though you would only be able to look in -any special direction through just one or two -of the telescopes.</p> - -<p>Now that is very much like the way in which -the eyes of crabs are made. Each of these four -thousand eyes is really a kind of telescope. And -as they all point in different directions, the crab -is able to see above it and below it and on all -sides, though it only looks at any special object -through one or two eyes.</p> - - -<h3>HOW CRABS HEAR AND SMELL</h3> - -<p>The way in which crabs hear and smell is -almost as curious as the way in which they see, -for they have very odd little ears and noses in -very odd places.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>On its head, as perhaps you know, a crab has -two pairs of feelers. We call them the “lesser -feelers” and the “greater feelers.” Now if you -were to look at the first joint of the lesser -feelers through a good microscope, you would -find on each a little gland, or bag, containing -a very tiny drop of salt and water. These -are the crab’s ears. Of course they are not -nearly so good as our ears are. Indeed, I do -not think that a crab can hear sounds in the -air at all. But water carries sounds much -more readily than air does, so that if you were -to dive into a lake, or into the sea, on a calm, -still day you could easily hear the beat of the -oars in a boat half a mile away. And the ears -of the crab are made in such a way that they -can hear sounds in the water quite well, -even though they may be deaf to sounds in -the air.</p> - -<p>Then if you look at the first joint of the greater -feelers through the microscope, you will see two -other tiny glands. These are the crab’s noses, -by which it can smell odours in the water just -as we can smell odours in the air. It always -seems to find its food by scent, and if one of -those basket-like traps which we call crab-pots -is baited with a few pieces of decaying fish and -lowered into the sea, crabs will smell the bait -from quite a long distance away, and come -hurrying up to obtain a share in the banquet.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span> -And they seem to do so by means of those odd -little noses on the lower joints of their greater -feelers.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXI<br /> - -THE EDIBLE CRAB</h3> - -<p>Now let me tell you something about the -different kinds of crabs which you may find on -the shore.</p> - -<p>First of all, of course, there is the Edible Crab. -This is the crab which is so largely used for -food, and which you may see in any fishmonger’s -shop. Sometimes it grows to a very great size, -and has claws so big and strong that if it were -to seize a man by the wrist he would find it -very difficult indeed to set himself free. You -will not find crabs as big as this among the -rocks, for these giant creatures always live in -rather deep water. But one often discovers a -crab four or five inches across hiding in a rock-pool, -and even he is quite big and strong enough -to give one a very sharp nip.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate21"><span class="smcap">Plate XXI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_064.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE EDIBLE CRAB.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>It is rather amusing to get one of these crabs -out on to the open sand, and then to stand just -in front of him. He will at once raise both his -great claws and hold them in readiness to strike -at you if you attempt to seize him. Then if you -walk slowly round and round him he will turn<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span> -round and round too, so as to keep facing you, -over and over and over again. And if you put -your hand anywhere near him he will snap at it -so quickly that it is really not at all easy to avoid -his stroke.</p> - -<p>Edible crabs often have their shells covered -with barnacles and the tubes of some of the sea-worms. -Old crabs, indeed, which no longer -change their coats of mail every year, are often -so covered with these creatures that one can -hardly see their shells at all.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXII<br /> - -THE SHORE CRAB (1)</h3> - -<p>This is sometimes known as the Green Crab, -because it is generally more or less green in -colour. But you may often find examples, which -are deep brown all over, while others are bright -yellow, with black markings upon their backs. -It does not grow to nearly such a great size -as the edible crab, and although its flesh is quite -good to eat there is so little of it that the animal -is hardly ever used for food. But it is wonderfully -strong, and if you find a green crab hiding -beneath a big stone or behind a mass of sea-weed, -you must be very careful not to get a nip -from its claws.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span>The green crab spends a great part of its life -out of the water, for its gills are made in such -a manner that they will keep moist for a very -long time. And as long as its gills are damp a -crab can breathe quite as easily on land as if it -were in the sea. It is very active, and if you go -down near the water’s edge while the tide is coming -in you may often see it hunting sandhoppers -and even flies, creeping up to them very carefully -until it is only a few inches away, and then pouncing -upon them so suddenly that they have no -time to escape. And it is often very troublesome -to fishermen, for it will seize their bait with its -strong nippers, and pull it off the hooks before -a fish is able to take it.</p> - -<p>This crab is very easily kept in confinement, -and will soon become quite tame, so that it will -even come and take food from your fingers just -like a dog. But you must be careful to pile up -a few stones in the water in which you keep it, -so that it may sit upon them and take an airing -whenever it feels inclined. And it will even enjoy -an occasional run about the room.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate22"><span class="smcap">Plate XXII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_066.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SHORE OR GREEN CRAB.<span class="gap">2. THE FIDDLER CRAB.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXII<br /> - -THE FIDDLER CRAB (2)</h3> - -<p>The crabs about which I have been telling -you live in the sea, though they often leave it -for some little time and run about on the shore. -But none of them can swim, and if they are -thrown into deep water they just sink to the -bottom with their legs sprawling, feeling about -for some object to which they can cling. Sometimes, -however, if you look into one of the pools -which are left among the rocks when the tide -goes down, you may see a small crab swimming -through the water with some little speed. This -is quite sure to be a Fiddler Crab, and if you -catch it and examine its hinder legs, you will find -that instead of being quite slender, with hooked -claws at the tips, as they are in most crabs, -they are flattened out into broad, oval plates. -And you will also find that these plates have -a fringe of rather long hairs growing all round -them.</p> - -<p>Now these are the paddles with which the -crab rows itself through the water, and it is -called the “Fiddler Crab” because the movements -which it makes with them are rather like -those of a man who is playing the violin. You -can easily keep it in an aquarium, and a very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span> -interesting little pet it makes. But you must -remember that it is a very savage little animal, -and will certainly do its best to kill any other -creatures that you may put into the same vessel. -Even if you put two fiddlers together they are -almost sure to fight; and the one which wins the -battle will kill and eat the one which loses it.</p> - -<p>When the Fiddler Crab is alive it is really a -very handsome little creature, for its blackish -shell is covered all over with soft, short down, -looking rather like velvet, while its legs are -striped with blue, and its claws are partly blue -and partly scarlet.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXIII<br /> - -THE MASKED CRAB (1)</h3> - -<p>The broad shelly shield which covers the back -of a crab is called the “carapace,” and there are -certain markings upon it which are rather like -the features of a human face. But there is one -crab in which these markings are so deep and -strong that it looks just as if it were wearing a -mask. So it is always known as the “Masked -Crab.” It is found on the southern and western -shores of England and Wales, and you may -always know it if you meet with it, not only -because of the face-like markings upon its back,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span> -but also because its carapace is a good deal -longer than it is broad, whereas in other crabs it -is nearly always broader than it is long. Besides -this, the great claws are not really “great” at -all, for they are very long indeed and very slender, -with quite small nippers at the tips, while the -greater feelers are quite as long as the claws. -So altogether the masked crab is a very odd-looking -crab indeed. But if you want to find -it you will have to look for it very carefully, -for it has an odd way of burying itself in the sand, -and only leaving just its feelers and its eyes above -the surface.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXIII<br /> - -THE THORNBACK CRAB (2)</h3> - -<p>This is perhaps the very oddest of all our -British crabs.</p> - -<p>In the first place, it looks much more like a -big spider than a crab; for its body is very small, -while its legs are very long and very slender. -Indeed, the group of crabs to which it belongs -is often called “spider crabs” in consequence. -In the second place, its carapace is covered all -over with rather long sharp spikes, which project -in all directions, so that it strongly reminds one -of a tipsy-cake! And, in the third place, the crab<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span> -nearly always has a number of tufts of sea-weed -or sponge growing upon its back.</p> - -<p>Perhaps you might think that these come -there by accident. But they do not. The crab -himself plants them there! If you keep him in -an aquarium you may often see him doing so. -First of all he turns one of his long claws over -his back and scratches away at the carapace, -so as to roughen the surface. Then he pulls up -a little sprig of sea-weed or sponge and actually -plants it on his shell, pressing the rootlets firmly -down. And besides the spikes upon the shell -there are numbers of tiny hooks, which help to -hold it in position. Then the crab plants another -piece of weed or sponge in just the same way, -and so he goes on planting piece after piece -until his back is completely covered.</p> - -<p>Now why do you think he takes all this trouble?</p> - -<p>Well, the reason is that he does not want to -be seen; for he has a great many enemies, and -he knows perfectly well that if he were to lie -among the sea-weeds or sponges at the bottom -of the sea they would be quite sure to notice -him as they passed by, and then he would almost -certainly be killed and eaten. So he clothes -himself with either sea-weeds or sponges, as the -case may be, and then feels that he is perfectly -safe, and that as long as he keeps quite still even -the sharpest eye will fail to notice him. And if -you catch one of these crabs which is covered with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span> -sea-weeds and put it into an aquarium in which -sponges are growing, it will very soon strip -the weeds off its back and cover itself with -sponges instead; while if you catch one that is -covered with sponges, and put it into a tank in -which sea-weeds are growing, it will strip off -the sponges and cover itself with sea-weeds!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate23"><span class="smcap">Plate XXIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_070.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE MASKED CRAB.<span class="gap">2. THE THORNBACK CRAB.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The thornback crab often grows to a rather -large size. Indeed, next to the edible crab, it -is the largest of all the crabs which are found -in our British seas, for its carapace is sometimes -as much as eight inches long and six inches -wide, while its great claws may be fourteen or -fifteen inches in length. On some parts of the -coast it is used for food, but its flesh is rather -coarse and of poor quality.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXIV<br /> - -THE LONG-BEAKED SPIDER CRAB (1)</h3> - -<p>This crab has an even smaller body in proportion -to its size than the thornback, and its -legs are so very long and so very slender that -they remind one of those of a daddy-long-legs. -Its carapace is drawn out in front into a kind -of beak, which is quite as long as the carapace -itself, and while the crab is alive it is of a most -beautiful pink and puce colour. It is not a very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span> -common creature, but is sometimes to be found -in the rocky pools near low-water mark on our -southern coasts, and is covered, very often, with -sea-weeds or sponges, just like the thornback.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXIV<br /> - -THE FOUR-HORNED SPIDER CRAB (2)</h3> - -<p>Perhaps this is the commonest of the British -spider crabs. Indeed, it is so plentiful at Bognor, -and at other places on the southern coast of -England, that when a crab pot is taken out of -the water as many as twenty or even thirty of -these creatures are sometimes found in it. They -are called by the fishermen “sea-spiders,” and -are generally so clothed with those odd sea-weeds -called “corallines” that you can hardly see any -part of their “shells” at all.</p> - -<p>In this crab the carapace is drawn out in front -into a very long beak indeed, which has four -horns upon it, and the whole upper surface is -covered with short, sharp spikes and stout hairs.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate24"><span class="smcap">Plate XXIV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_072.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE LONG-BEAKED SPIDER CRAB.<br /> - -2. THE FOUR-HORNED SPIDER CRAB.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXV<br /> - -THE PEA CRAB (1)</h3> - -<p>This is a very odd crab indeed. In the first -place it is extremely small. Even when it reaches -its full size it is scarcely ever so much as half-an-inch -across, while its body is so round that -it really does remind one very much of a pea. -Only it is not quite the right colour for a pea, -for it is creamy yellow instead of green.</p> - -<p>And, in the second place, this crab lives in -a very odd place—namely, inside the shells of -living mussels, or pinnas, or even cockles! What -it does there nobody seems quite to know. It -does not appear to injure the animal to whom -the shell belongs, although it is very fond of -the flesh of mussels, and if it finds one of those -creatures lying dead will certainly devour it. -Perhaps it only creeps inside its shell for the -sake of safety. At any rate, it is a very timid -little crab, and if you open a mussel and find a -pea crab lying hidden inside it, it will tuck up -all its legs quite close to its little round body -and lie perfectly still for several minutes in the -hope that you will think that it is dead.</p> - -<p>On some parts of the coast pea crabs are so -plentiful, that three out of four mussels are found -to have one of these odd little creatures inside it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXV<br /> - -CRAB CATERPILLARS (2 and 2 <span class="allsmcap">A</span>)</h3> - -<p>I dare say you did not know that crabs have -caterpillars, just as insects have. We call these -crab caterpillars “zoeas,” and they are not in -the least like their parents. There are a great -many different kinds, of course, for every crab -has its own zoea, just as every butterfly and -moth has its own caterpillar, and some of them -are not very much like some of the others. But -they are always very tiny indeed—they are scarcely -as large, in fact, as the smallest grains of sand—and -they always have a very long curved horn -in front of the body and another one behind, -and long waggly tails. And they swim in the -oddest way possible—by turning somersaults in -the water, over and over again!</p> - -<p>These zoeas are very useful little creatures, -because they feed upon the tiny scraps of decaying -matter which are always floating about in -the sea, and so help to keep the water always -pure. They belong, in fact, to the great army -of what I always like to call “nature’s dustmen”—those -little animals whose duty it is to clear -away the rubbish from the world. There are -millions and millions of these busy little workers -on the land, and millions and millions of others<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span> -in ponds and rivers, as well as in the sea, and -so well do they perform their task that both the -air and the water are always kept pure.</p> - -<p>Another very interesting fact about zoeas is -that they form the chief food of no less a creature -than the Greenland whale. No doubt you know -that whales are of two kinds—those which have -teeth, and those which have none. Those which -have teeth feed upon fishes, and giant cuttles, -and could easily swallow a man. But the whales -which have no teeth have throats so small that -they would almost certainly be choked if they -tried to swallow a herring! So they have to -feed on very small creatures indeed, and are -very fond of zoeas, which often swim about in -such vast shoals that the water of the sea is -quite thick with them. And they catch them in -a most curious manner.</p> - -<p>You have heard, of course, of the very useful -substance which we call “whalebone;” and no -doubt you know that it has nothing to do with -the bones of the whale at all. It is found in the -mouths of those whales which have no teeth, -and hangs down in great plates from the gums -of their upper jaws. Very soon these plates split -up; and then each part splits up again; and so -on, over and over again, till at their lower ends -they form a kind of thick fringe of close, matted -hairs.</p> - -<p>Now it is by means of this fringe that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span> -whale catches the zoeas. When it meets with -a shoal of these little creatures it opens its huge -mouth wide, and swims through them. Then it -nearly closes its jaws, and lets down the whalebone -plates, so that the hairy fringe forms a -kind of strainer all the way round. It then -squirts out the water from its mouth through -this fringe, which allows the water to pass -through it, but keeps back the zoeas; and when -it has got rid of all the water it closes its mouth -completely and swallows the zoeas, a few thousand -at a time, after which it opens its jaws again, -and swims through the shoal once more.</p> - -<p>Doesn’t it seem strange that the biggest animal -on earth should feed on some of the very -smallest?</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXV<br /> - -CRAB CHRYSALIDS (3 and 3 <span class="allsmcap">A</span>)</h3> - -<p>When the caterpillar of an insect has reached -its full size it throws off its skin and appears -as a chrysalis, or pupa. And the caterpillar, or -zoea, of a crab does exactly the same thing. It -casts its skin, and appears in quite a different -form. Only we do not call it a chrysalis, as a -rule. We call it a “Megalopa.”</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate25"><span class="smcap">Plate XXV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_076.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. PEA CRAB (life-size).<br /> - -2. CRAB CATERPILLAR (enlarged).<span class="gap">3. CRAB CHRYSALIDS (enlarged).</span><br /> - -2<span class="allsmcap">A</span>. ” <span class="gap">”</span> <span class="gap"> (life-size).</span><span class="gap">3</span><span class="allsmcap">A</span>. ” <span class="gap">”</span> <span class="gap"> (life-size). </span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The word “megalopa” means “a creature with -big eyes,” and it is given to the crab chrysalis<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> -because it has eyes which are enormously big -in proportion to the size of the head. They are -set on long footstalks, which project on either -side, so that the head looks rather like a hammer. -Then the long curved horns which the zoea had -are to be seen no longer, and the carapace is -shaped much more like that of the perfect animal, -while the great claws begin to show, and the -legs increase in length. The tail, however, is -still quite free, like that of a lobster, and the -little animal still swims by turning somersaults -in the water, and lives on the same tiny scraps -of decaying matter on which it fed as a zoea. -After a few weeks it throws off its skin once -more, and appears in the world as a perfect -crab.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXVI<br /> - -HERMIT CRABS (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>If you go down among the rocks when the -tide is out, and hunt about in the pools, you may -often find the shell of a whelk in which a small -crab is living, with one of his great claws -carefully guarding the entrance. This is a Hermit -Crab, and a very curious little creature he is. -For, in the first place, his long tail is quite free, -like that of a lobster, instead of being fastened -down to the lower surface of his body; and in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> -the second place, it is quite soft, without any -shelly covering at all. His body and limbs are -covered with armour, just like those of other -crabs, but his tail has none at all.</p> - -<p>The consequence is that the hermit crab always -has to take the very greatest care of his tail. -He is so dreadfully afraid that one of his many -enemies will come up behind and give it a nip -when he isn’t looking! So he protects it by -tucking it away into the empty shell of a whelk. -He never leaves this shell, but drags it about -with him wherever he goes. And if you take -hold of him and try to pull him out, you will -find that you cannot do so without injuring him -very badly. For at the end of his tail he has a -pair of strong pincer-like organs, with which he -holds on so firmly that it is very difficult indeed -to make him let go.</p> - -<p>Indeed, the only way to get a hermit crab out -of his dwelling is to put him, shell and all, into -the spreading arms of a big sea anemone. That -frightens him almost out of his wits, for the -arms of the anemone at once come closing in, -and he knows quite well that if he stays where -he is he will very soon be swallowed. So he -skips out of the shell and scampers away as -fast as he possibly can, leaving the empty shell -in the anemone’s clutches.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate26"><span class="smcap">Plate XXVI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_078.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE HERMIT CRAB IN WHELK-SHELL.<br /> - -2. THE HERMIT CRAB OUT OF SHELL.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The poor little animal is now perfectly miserable. -He has no protection for his tail, you see,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span> -and goes hunting about everywhere for some -other shell into which he can tuck it. After a -while, perhaps, he finds that of a periwinkle. -It is not of much use, of course, for it is so -small that he can only get just the tip of his -tail into it. Still, it is better than nothing, and -he goes crawling about with the periwinkle shell -on the end of his tail, like a thimble on the tip -of one’s finger, in search of a bigger one. By-and-by -he discovers one. Then he whips his -tail out of the old shell and into the new one -so quickly that you can hardly see how he does -it, and goes off to look for a bigger shell still. -And in this way he will change his dwelling -perhaps half-a-dozen times before he is really -satisfied.</p> - -<p>Sometimes you may find a hermit crab with -a sea anemone fastened to the edge of the shell -in which he is living. That seems strange, -doesn’t it, when you remember how terribly -afraid the little animal is of anemones. But in -such a case the anemone never interferes with -the hermit crab, and the crab never interferes -with the anemone, while both of them benefit -by the arrangement. The crab benefits, because -no fish will ever touch him so long as an -anemone is attached to his whelk-shell. There -are plenty of fishes which would be quite ready -to gobble him up, whelk-shell and all, if it were -not for this creature. But fishes know quite<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span> -well that sea anemones can sting, and therefore -never think of devouring them, no matter -how hungry they may be; so that so long as -an anemone is guarding the whelk-shell in which -he lives, the hermit knows that he is perfectly -safe. And the anemone benefits, because it gets -a share of the crab’s meals. When a hermit -crab finds the dead body of some small creature -at the bottom of the sea he pulls it to pieces -and devours it; and as he does so a quantity of -tiny scraps are sure to come floating upwards, -and are seized by the outspread arms of the -anemone. So the crab gets the big pieces, and -the anemone gets the little ones; and both are -perfectly satisfied.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER V<br /> - - -LOBSTERS AND THEIR KIN</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE XXVII<br /> - -THE LOBSTER</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">YOU are not at all likely to catch a lobster -for yourself, for these creatures live in deep -water, and are only to be taken by means of -proper lobster-pots. But I must not pass the -animal by without mentioning it at all, for at -any rate you will be quite sure to see it on -the slab of every fishmonger’s shop.</p> - -<p>Of course you know that a lobster is not red -until it is boiled, but is nearly black all over. -And of course you know, too, that one of its -great claws is always a good deal larger and -stouter than the other. Sometimes people think -that the reason of this is that at some previous -time the animal had lost one of his claws through -some accident, and was growing a new one, and -that the new limb had not yet had time to reach -its full size. However, this is not the case, for -one claw of a lobster is always a good deal bigger -than the other; and the real reason is that the -two claws are used for different purposes. The -larger claw is a weapon, with which the animal<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span> -fights, while the smaller one is an anchor, with -which he clings to the weeds which grow on -the rocks at the bottom of the sea. And very -often one is quite twice as big as the other.</p> - -<p>Now I wonder whether you know how a lobster -uses his tail. He employs it in swimming, and -if you look at it you will find that it is made of -several broad, flat plates, which can be spread -out very much like the joints of a fan. You will -notice, too, that these joints have a fringe of -hairs growing all round them. Now when a -lobster swims he just stretches his body straight -out, and then doubles it suddenly up. As he -does so the plates of the tail spread out, and -form a kind of very broad and powerful oar, -which strikes the water with such force as to -drive the animal swiftly backwards. With a -single stroke of its tail, indeed, a lobster can -dart to a distance of forty or fifty feet, and that -so quickly that even the swiftest fishes could -scarcely overtake him.</p> - -<p>Sometimes, however, a lobster swims forwards; -and he does this by means, not of his tail, but -of five pairs of odd little organs underneath the -tail, which we call “swimmerets.” They spring -from either side of the soft hinges by which -the joints of the tail are fastened together, and -each consists of two thin oval plates fringed with -long hairs. So each swimmeret really consists -of two tiny paddles, and by waving them to and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span> -fro in the water the lobster manages to travel -along with some little speed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate27"><span class="smcap">Plate XXVII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_082.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE LOBSTER.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>These swimmerets are used for another purpose -as well, however, for the mother lobster always -glues her eggs to the hairs with which they are -fringed, and carries them about with her for some -little time. Haven’t you noticed, when you have -had shrimps for tea, that a good many of them -had clusters of eggs underneath their bodies? -Well, if you had put one of those shrimps under -a microscope, and examined it very carefully, -you would have found that every one of the eggs -was firmly glued down to one of the hairs on -its swimmerets, where it would have remained -until it was hatched. And lobsters carry their -eggs about with them in just the same way.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXVIII<br /> - -THE PRAWN (1)</h3> - -<p>If you go down among the rocks when the -tide is out, and look into the shallow pools which -have been left among them by the retreating -waves, you are quite sure to see numbers of -shadowy forms darting to and fro through the -water. A good many of these will be prawns, -and if you catch one or two of them in a small -net, and examine them carefully, you will find<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span> -that they are very much like tiny lobsters. -Indeed, if you could magnify a prawn to the -size of a lobster, or reduce a lobster to the size -of a prawn, it really would not be very easy to -tell the one from the other.</p> - -<p>But you will be surprised to see how different -live prawns look from the dead ones which you -may see in a fishmonger’s shop. The fact is -that, like the lobster, they change colour when -they are boiled. When they are alive, indeed, -they hardly have any colour at all, and are nearly -transparent. That is why it is so difficult to -see them in the water. And if you keep them -in an aquarium, all that you can see of them, -very often, as they dart to and fro is just their -glowing eyes, which gleam in the water like -tiny balls of fire.</p> - -<p>There are two facts about prawns which I am -sure you will be interested to know.</p> - -<p>The first is that they are extremely useful -little creatures, for they feed upon the bodies -of the various small animals which die in the sea, -and so prevent them from becoming putrid and -poisoning the water. And the second is that -they always take the greatest possible care to -keep themselves clean. If you take a few live -prawns home, and put them in an aquarium, -you may often see them performing their toilets. -Their front legs are covered with stiff little hairs -which stand out at right angles, so that these<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> -limbs really form a pair of brushes. And with -them the prawn will clean its body most diligently, -rubbing itself all over until every little -speck of dirt has been removed. And if any -object should cling to its body which these tiny -brushes cannot rub away, it will pull it off by -means of the strong little pincers on the second -pair of legs.</p> - -<p>Do you want to know how to tell a prawn -from a shrimp?</p> - -<p>Well, all that you have to do is to look in front -of its head. There, projecting from the edge -of the “carapace,” or shield which covers the -back, you will see a long spike, something like -a beak. Just put your finger upon this, and -feel the edge. If it is set with sharp little teeth, -like those of a saw, the animal is a prawn. But -if the spike is perfectly smooth, it is a shrimp.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXVIII<br /> - -THE ÆSOP PRAWN (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a much prettier creature than the -common prawn, for its transparent body is -covered with scarlet lines, while its long thread-like -feelers have rings of the same colour round -them at regular distances apart. It is called -the “Æsop” prawn because it has a big hump<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span> -on its back, just like the writer of the famous -fables.</p> - -<p>If you want to catch an Æsop prawn you must -look for it in the summer, for it always spends -the rest of the year in deeper water. But as -soon as the weather becomes really warm it -travels up and down with the tide, and you may -find it in plenty in the pools which are left among -the rocks at low-water.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXVIII<br /> - -THE SHRIMP (3)</h3> - -<p>I told you that a good many of the shadowy -forms which you may see darting to and fro in -the rock-pools are those of prawns. The rest -are quite sure to be shrimps, which are very -much more common. Indeed, in most of the -rock-pools you will find at least ten shrimps for -every prawn. But they are very difficult to see, -for they are partly transparent when they are -alive, so that they are scarcely visible when they -are swimming. And when they are resting at -the bottom of the pool their speckled bodies -look almost exactly like the sand on which -they lie. Besides this, they have a way of nearly -burying themselves, by scooping out a kind of -furrow with their hind limbs, sinking into it,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span> -and then covering themselves with sand by means -of their feelers. So the fishermen often call them -“sand-raisers.”</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate28"><span class="smcap">Plate XXVIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_086.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE PRAWN.<span class="gap">2. THE ÆSOP PRAWN.</span><span class="gap">3. THE SHRIMP.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<h3>PLATE XXIX<br /> - -THE SANDHOPPER (1 and 1 <span class="allsmcap">A</span>)</h3> - -<p>Commoner even than the shrimps are the Sandhoppers. -On any sandy part of the shore you -may find them in thousands and thousands. If -you walk along the beach where the sand is dry, -and step rather heavily, you will see their holes -opening all round you. If you walk along it where -it is damp, you will find that it is honeycombed -with their burrows. If you turn over a stone, -or lift up a piece of sea-weed which has been -thrown up by the waves, twenty, or thirty, or forty -of them will come skipping out like so many -tiny kangaroos. And if you walk near the edge -of the water when the tide is coming in you -may often see them leaping about in such vast -numbers that they look just like a thick mist -rising for a foot or eighteen inches into the air.</p> - -<p>Yet sandhoppers have so many enemies that -it really seems wonderful that any of them should -be left alive at all. Nearly all the shore birds -feast upon them, and so do many of the land -birds. Indeed, when the tide is rising, you may -often see a long line of birds standing closely<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span> -side by side together a few feet in front of the -water’s edge and gobbling up the active little -creatures in thousands. Then the shore crabs -are very fond of them, and destroy thousands -more. And even when they are buried deeply -in the sand they are not safe, for there is a little -beetle which goes down their burrows after them, -and catches and eats them there very much as -a ferret catches a rabbit in its hole.</p> - -<p>But it is just as well that they do not all get -eaten, for sandhoppers are very useful little -creatures indeed. They feed upon the masses -of decaying sea-weed which are constantly flung -up on the shore by the waves. For they, too, -belong to the great army of “Nature’s Dustmen,” -like the “zoeas” of the crabs and lobsters, and -help to clear away all kinds of rubbish which -would poison the air and the water if it were -left to decay. Indeed, they will eat almost anything, -and if you were to tie up a number of sandhoppers -in your handkerchief, and leave them -there for a few minutes, you would never be able -to use the handkerchief again; for you would -find that their sharp little jaws had nibbled it -into holes.</p> - -<p>If you watch a sandhopper carefully when it -is skipping about, you will find that it leaps by -doubling its body up, and then straightening it -out again with a sudden jerk.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate29"><span class="smcap">Plate XXIX</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_088.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. SANDHOPPER (enlarged).<span class="gap">2. SAND SCREW (enlarged).</span><br /> -1<span class="allsmcap">A</span>.<span class="gap"> ”</span><span class="gap"> (life-size).</span><span class="gap"> 2<span class="allsmcap">A</span>.<span class="gap"> ”</span><span class="gap"> (life-size).</span></span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span></p> - -<h3>PLATE XXIX<br /> - -THE SAND SCREW (2 and 2 <span class="allsmcap">A</span>)</h3> - -<p>If you follow the tide as it goes out on a still -day, you will notice that it leaves the sand quite -smooth behind it. But if you come to the same -spot about half-an-hour later, you will often -find that it is marked by numbers of winding -tracks, which look just as if they had been made -by worms. These, however, are the work of the -Sand Screw, a curious little creature which in -many ways is very much like a sandhopper. But -instead of sinking its burrows almost straight -downwards into the sand, as sandhoppers do, it -drives them along almost as a mole does, just -below the surface.</p> - -<p>If you stand quite still for a few minutes near -the water’s edge, when the tide is going out, -you may sometimes see this odd little creature -at work; for as it pushes its way along it raises -the sand into a kind of low tunnel, which generally -falls in behind it, and so forms a groove. And -if you suddenly turn over the sand in front of the -tunnel you will find the little animal which was -making it, and will see at once why it is called -the “sand screw.” For instead of skipping about -like a sandhopper, it will lie on one side and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span> -wriggle its way along with a curious “screwing” -movement, just as though it were trying to bore -its way into the sand.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXX<br /> - -ACORN SHELLS (1)</h3> - -<p>If you examine the rocks which are left dry -when the tide goes out, you will often find that -they are covered almost all over with small shells -which look rather like those of tiny limpets. -Only at the top of each shell there is a little -hole, from the margin of which a number of ridges -run down to the bottom. And these ridges are -so sharp, that if you happen to slip when you -are wandering about among the pools, and catch -at a rock to save yourself, they will cut your -fingers almost as if they were knives.</p> - -<p>These creatures are generally known as “Acorn -Shells,” and I dare say that you might think -that they must be very closely related to the -limpets. But in reality they are much more -closely related to the shrimps and sandhoppers, -though they look so very unlike them, and lead -such different lives. For while shrimps and sandhoppers -are always swimming or skipping about, -the little animals which live inside these acorn -shells never move at all after they are a few<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span> -days old, but spend their whole lives fastened -down to the surface of the rocks. But there is -this great difference between the two. When -the eggs of a limpet hatch, out come a number -of very tiny limpets, just like their parent in -everything except size. But when the eggs of -an acorn shell hatch, the little creatures which -come out from them are not like their parents -at all. They are “zoeas,” in fact, or acorn shell -caterpillars; and they do not reach their perfect -form for some little time.</p> - -<p>When these little “zoeas” first make their -appearance in the world they are able to swim -about by means of three pairs of tiny feathery -legs, with which they paddle their way along -through the water. And they also have a round -black eye in the middle of the body, with which -they can see quite well. Every two or three -days they throw off their skins, just as caterpillars -do, and appear in new ones, which have been -gradually forming beneath. And each time that -they do this their shape changes. At last -they are ready to take their perfect form. Then -each of the little creatures clings to the surface -of a rock by means of its feelers, and pours -out a kind of cement, which hardens round -them, and anchors it firmly down. It then -throws off its skin once more, and appears in -the form of an acorn shell just like its parent. -And, strange to say, it throws off its eye at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span> -the same time, and is perfectly blind for the rest -of its life!</p> - -<p>If you look down into a shallow pool, the rocky -sides of which are covered with these acorn -shells, you may often see a very pretty sight. -You may see the little animals fishing. Out -from the hole at the top of each shell comes a -kind of little net, which sweeps through the -water, and is then drawn back into the shell. -This net is really formed by the limbs, which -are fringed with long hairs, and as it passes -through the water it collects the little tiny -scraps of decaying matter on which the animal -feeds.</p> - -<p>You may find these acorn shells in great -numbers, not only on the rocks which are left -dry when the tide goes out, but also on the -wooden beams which support piers and jetties. -Indeed, these beams are often so closely covered -with the odd little shells that you cannot see -the surface of the wood at all. And very often -they fasten themselves to the shells of limpets -and oysters, and even on the backs of crabs.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate30"><span class="smcap">Plate XXX</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_092.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. ACORN SHELLS.<span class="gap">2. SHIP BARNACLES.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span></p> - -<h3>PLATE XXX<br /> - -SHIP BARNACLES (2)</h3> - -<p>These creatures are first-cousins, so to -speak, of the acorn shells, and they are called -“Ship Barnacles” because they are so very -fond of fastening themselves to the bottoms -of ships. Even after two or three months, -indeed, the hull of a vessel is often quite -covered with them below the water-line, and -they check her speed so greatly that she -has to be taken into dock to have them -scraped off before she can set out upon another -voyage.</p> - -<p>You may generally find quite a number of -these barnacles on the pieces of timber which -are so often flung up by the waves after a -storm. And you will notice that each of them -grows, as it were, upon a kind of stalk, instead -of being fastened down to the surface -of the wood, as the acorn shells are upon -the rocks. This stalk consists of the pillar of -cement with which the little animal covered its -feelers just before it changed its form for the -last time.</p> - -<p>There are a good many other kinds of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span> -barnacles, some of which are found in very odd -places. There is one, indeed, which always -lives on the backs of whales, and somehow -manages to sink itself quite deeply into their -skins!</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VI<br /> - - -THE SEA WORMS</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE XXXI<br /> - -THE SEA MOUSE (1)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">IF you go down among the rocks when the -tide is out, and hunt in the muddy pools near -low-water mark, you will be almost sure to find -a very odd-looking creature indeed. It is generally -between three or four inches long, and -although it is called a “Sea Mouse” it looks -very much more like a hairy slug; for its whole -body is covered with a matted coat of bristles. -But it is really a kind of sea worm. And it -looks just about as dull and dingy as any -creature can possibly be.</p> - -<p>Yet in reality it is one of the most beautiful -animals which are found in the sea, and if you -want to see its beauty, all that you have to do -is to wash it. For the bristly coat which covers -its body is a kind of filter, which strains out -the mud from the water which passes to the -gills; and it soon becomes so choked with mud -that you cannot see what the animal is really -like at all. All that it wants, however, is a -really good bath: so just take it to a pool of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span> -clear sea-water, and rinse it thoroughly. Then -take it to another pool, and rinse it again. -Then take it to a third pool, and rinse it again; -and go on rinsing it till every atom of mud -has been washed out of its hairy coating. And -then, if you look at it in the bright sunshine, -I am quite sure that you will be astonished to -find what a lovely creature it really is. For all -the colours of the rainbow, and ever so many -more besides, seem to be chasing one another -over its bristles, and altering with every movement -and every change of light. Doesn’t it -seem strange that an animal so beautiful as -this should live with all its beauty covered up, -so that hardly any eye can ever see it?</p> - -<p>But these bristles have another use besides -that of a filter. Each of them is really a kind -of long, slender spear with a barbed tip, which -can be used as a weapon of defence. If you -were to look at one of these bristly spears -through a good strong microscope you would -see that it was edged on both sides with sharp -little hooked teeth, looking very much like -those of a shark. But you need not be in the -least afraid to handle a sea mouse, for although -these slender spears look so formidable, they -are not nearly strong enough to pierce your -skin.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate31"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_096.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SEA MOUSE.<span class="gap">2. THE SABELLA.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span></p> - -<h3>PLATE XXXI<br /> - -THE SABELLA (2)</h3> - -<p>A good many different kinds of worms live -on the sea-shore, and one of the most curious -of these is the Sabella. For it lives in long, -narrow tubes made of tiny grains of sand, which -it sticks together with a kind of natural glue. -You may find these tubes in great numbers -just about low-water mark, and hundreds and -hundreds of them are often twisted up together -in great masses, which are sometimes several -feet in diameter. The worms can travel up and -down these tubes by means of tufts of stiff little -bristles on each side of their bodies; and sometimes -they will leave them altogether, crawl -about on the sand for a little while, and then -make new ones. And if you keep them alive -in a glass vessel filled with sea-water, with a -little sand at the bottom, you can watch them -building their wonderful tubes, carefully choosing -grains of sand of just the proper size, arranging -them in position just as a bricklayer lays bricks, -and then sticking them firmly together.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXII<br /> - -THE SERPULA (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>If you look down into the pools among the -rocks when the tide is out you may often see -a number of long, twisted tubes fastened to the -surface of the stones at the bottom. These are -the dwellings of a very curious sea-shore worm -called the Serpula, and if you lift one of the -stones out of the water, and look down into the -tubes, you will nearly always see a bright scarlet -object lying just beneath the entrance. And then -you may be quite sure that the animal is alive.</p> - -<p>Now suppose that you carry the stone home -with you, just as it is, and put it into a vessel -of sea-water. After an hour or two you will find -that the little scarlet objects have been poked -out of the tubes, and that they are really tiny -stoppers, just like little corks, which exactly fit -the entrance when they are pulled inside. And -you will also find that a plume of feathery objects, -which are also bright scarlet in colour, is projecting -out of the mouth of each tube. These -red plumes are the gills of the worms, and they -will often remain spread for hours at a time. But -if you startle the animals—if your shadow falls -upon them, for instance—they will draw themselves -down into their tubes in about half a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span> -quarter of a second, and every tube will be corked -up by its tiny stopper, just as before.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate32"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_098.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SERPULA.<span class="gap">2. SERPULAS IN TUBES.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>On the sides of its body the serpula has tufts -of little bristly hairs, just as the sabella has, -which allow it to move up and down its tube. -But in order to enable it to draw itself back as -quickly as possible in moments of danger, it has -a row of little hooked teeth on its back, by means -of which it can take a firm hold of the lining of -its burrow. I think you will be rather surprised -when I tell you how many of these teeth there -are in the row. Just fancy! Each serpula has -between thirteen and fourteen thousand!</p> - -<p>If you look at the oysters in a fishmonger’s -shop, you may often see the tubes of these curious -worms fastened to the surface of the shells.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXIII<br /> - -THE TEREBELLA (1)</h3> - -<p>This is another of the worms which live in -tubes. You can generally find its wonderful little -dwellings by hunting in the small puddles of sea-water -which are left on the sands when the tide -goes out. And you can always tell them from -those of the sabella and the serpula by the curious -little fringe round the entrance, which is made -of the tiniest grains of sand fastened together<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span> -into slender threads. The tube itself is made -of larger grains, and is so tough and leathery -that you can give it quite a hard pull without -breaking it. But as it is at least a foot long, -and is nearly always carried down underneath -rocks or big stones, you will not find it at all -easy to dig it up. And the moment that you -alarm the little animal inside it always makes -its way right down to the very bottom of its tube.</p> - -<p>Sometimes a terebella will leave its tube and -go for a little swim in the pool, wriggling its -way through the water by first doubling its body -up and then stretching it out, over and over again. -But it very soon gets tired with its exertions, -and sinks down to the bottom of the pool to rest. -Then, after awhile, it will set busily to work, -and make a new tube to live in instead of the -old one.</p> - -<p>There is another kind of terebella, called the -Shell-binder, which makes its tube of little bits -of broken shell instead of grains of sand. You -may find the ends of these tubes sticking up out -of the sand about half-way between high and -low-water mark. But they run down so deeply -that you will have to dig very hard indeed if -you want to get them out of the ground.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate33"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_100.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE TEREBELLA.<span class="gap">2. THE LUG WORM.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXIII<br /> - -THE LUG WORM (2)</h3> - -<p>On any muddy stretch of beach, when the tide -is out, you may see numbers and numbers of -little twisted casts, just like those which you -may find on the lawn in the garden on any warm -damp morning. These are made by Lug Worms, -or “logs,” as the fishermen generally call them, -and they really consist of sand which the worm -has swallowed during the last three or four hours. -For lug worms burrow by swallowing mouthful -after mouthful of sand, until they can swallow -no more. They eat their way down into the sand, -in fact, just as earth-worms eat their way down -into the ground. And when their bodies are quite -filled with sand, they come up to the entrances -of their burrows and pour it out in the little twisty -coils which everybody who has walked on the -shore knows so well by sight.</p> - -<p>If you take a spade and dig down into the -muddy sand you can find these worms in great -numbers. They are just about as big as earth-worms, -and are of all sorts of colours, some being -brown, and some dark green, and some purple, -and some crimson. But on each side of the body -they always have thirteen pairs of bright scarlet -tufts. These are the little gills by means of which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span> -they breathe, and if you put them under a microscope -they look just like tiny bushes with brilliant -red leaves.</p> - -<p>You would think, perhaps, that when a lug -worm bores its way through the loose sand, -the sides of its burrow would fall in behind it -as fast as it passed along. But from the surface -of its body it pours out a thin, sticky liquid -which binds the sand together, and forms a -kind of lining to the burrow, like the brickwork -of a railway tunnel. The burrow is generally -about two feet deep, and the worm always -lives in it with its head downwards. The worm -itself, when fully grown, is from six to ten inches -long.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXIV<br /> - -THE NEMERTES (1)</h3> - -<p>This is quite one of the most curious creatures -to be found on the sea-shore. It hides under -large stones at the bottom of the pools, and -looks rather like a tangled boot-lace. But it -is really a kind of leech-like worm, and the -wonderful thing about it is that it can stretch -its body out to almost any length, just as if it -were made of elastic. It always does this in -catching its prey, which it seizes by means of -its sucker-like mouth, which has a kind of beak<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span> -inside it. Then it “plays” its victim just as -an angler “plays” a fish, sometimes stretching -its body out to a length of fifteen or twenty -feet, then drawing it in again to a length of -three or four, and so on over and over again, -until its prisoner is quite exhausted, when it -proceeds to devour it.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXIV<br /> - -THE NEREIS (2)</h3> - -<p>The Nereis is a very common sea-side worm, -and you can nearly always find it by turning -over the stones on the shore as the tide goes -out. It is brown in colour, with a dark red -line along the back; and if you look at it in -the sunlight you will see flashes of bright blue -playing over the surface of its skin. And underneath -it is of the most delicate pink, with a -glossy look which reminds one of mother-of-pearl. -It is one of the largest of all the worms, -for it often grows to a length of nearly two -feet.</p> - -<p>If you examine the back of a nereis, you will -find a row of little tufted organs running right -along it. Each of these really consists of two -little flaps, which are folded together as long -as the worm remains still. But as soon as it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span> -begins to swim they open out and wave up and -down in the water; for they are really tiny -paddles, by means of which the nereis rows -itself along. Altogether there are about four -hundred pairs of these little flaps, which move -in perfect time together, just like the oars of -a well-rowed boat. Perhaps you may have seen -a boat-race, and you noticed, no doubt, how all -the eight oars rose and fell exactly at the same -instant, as regularly as if they were moved by -machinery. Well, imagine a very long boat -indeed rowed by four hundred little rowers -instead of only by eight, and each with two -oars instead of one, and then you will have -some idea of what a nereis looks like as it goes -swimming through the water.</p> - -<p>This curious worm does not live only under -stones, for it is sometimes found hiding in the -whelk shells which are occupied by hermit crabs, -the worm and the crab living in the same shell -together, and never seeming to interfere with -one another.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate34"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXIV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_104.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE NEMERTES.<span class="gap">2. THE NEREIS.</span></p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VII<br /> - - -STARFISHES</h2> -</div> - -<h3>STARFISHES’ LEGS</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">OF course you know starfishes very well indeed -by sight, for they are flung up in numbers -on the beach by almost every tide. But I -wonder if you know where their legs are!</p> - -<p>Perhaps you did not know that they have any -legs. But they have hundreds and hundreds -of them. Only, instead of keeping their legs -outside their bodies, as we keep ours, starfishes -always keep them inside, and poke them out -through little holes in the skin when they are -required for use.</p> - -<p>If you want to see the legs of a starfish, you -can very easily do so. First of all, you must -catch a starfish, and make quite sure that he -is alive. You can easily find out that by picking -him up. If his rays are quite limp and flabby, -and hang downwards from the disc, or middle -part of his body, so that they look rather like -the legs of a table, he is dead, and you can -throw him away. But if they stand out stiffly -he is alive. Then just put him into a pool of -sea-water, and wait. After a few minutes you<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span> -are almost sure to see that he is moving. Very -slowly he begins to glide along the bottom of -the pool. If he comes to a stone, he glides -over it. If he comes to a rock, he glides up it. -Then, if you suddenly snatch him out of the -water, and turn him upside down, you will see -his legs—little white fleshy objects waving about -all over the lower surface of his body. And if -you look at them through a good strong magnifying-glass, -you will see that each one has a kind -of little cup at the end of a slender stem.</p> - -<p>Now this cup is really a sucker, very much -like the suckers of a cuttle, only of course a -great deal smaller. And the starfish walks by -pushing one or two of its rays forward, taking -hold of the ground with the suckers underneath -them, and then pulling up the hinder rays and -taking hold with the suckers underneath those, -and so on over and over again.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXV<br /> - -THE FIVE-FINGER STARFISH (1)</h3> - -<p>This is by far the commonest of all the starfishes. -You can seldom walk for even a short -distance along the shore without seeing it. -And no doubt you might think that it must be -a very harmless creature indeed, for it does not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span> -look as if it could injure any other animal in any -way at all. Yet it is really a creature of prey, -and feeds upon shell-bearing molluscs, such as -small bivalves, which it always swallows whole. -Then, when it has digested their bodies, it returns -their empty shells through its mouth. And it -can even eat such big creatures as mussels and -oysters. Indeed, starfishes are the very worst -enemies of the oyster-beds, and in one fishery -alone, on the coast of North America, they are -said to destroy more than ten thousand pounds’ -worth of oysters every year!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate35"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_106.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE FIVE-FINGERED STARFISH.<span class="gap">2. THE BIRD’S-FOOT STARFISH.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>A very strange fact about the starfish is that -if one of its rays is cut off, a new one very soon -grows in its place. Stranger still, if one of -these creatures is cut in two, each half begins -to throw out new rays, and in a few weeks’ -time there are two starfishes instead of only -one! That seems impossible; doesn’t it? But -yet it is perfectly true.</p> - -<p>And another very curious fact about starfishes -is that they keep their eyes in very odd places—at -the very tips of the rays. And in some -starfishes these eyes are furnished with lids, -which can be opened and shut!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXV<br /> - -THE BIRD’S-FOOT STARFISH (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very curious starfish, and a very -handsome one as well. It is curious, because -its five rays are all joined together by membrane, -very much like the toes on a duck’s foot. That -is why it is called the “bird’s-foot” starfish. -And it is handsome, because it has a scarlet -centre, a scarlet line all round the margin, and -another one down the inner margin of each ray, -all the rest of the body being bright orange.</p> - -<p>The bird’s-foot starfish is not very often seen, -for it lives some little way below low-water -mark. But sometimes, when there has been -a violent storm at a season of spring-tide—and -you will remember that spring-tides come whenever -there is a new moon or a full moon—it is -flung upon the beach by the retreating waves, -and you may find it lying on the sand when the -tide is out.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXVI<br /> - -THE SUN STARFISH</h3> - -<p>Sometimes you may find a very much larger -and handsomer starfish lying upon the shore. -It has twelve rays instead of five, and is often<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span> -as much as eight or ten inches across. In fact, -it looks very much like a big sunflower. Generally -it is bright scarlet in colour, but just now -and then one finds a sun starfish with a violet -tinge; and sometimes, while the middle part -of the body is vermilion red, the rays are pale -rose-colour, or even pink.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate36"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXVI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_108.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE SUN STARFISH.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>Like most of the starfishes, this animal has -a very curious way of protecting its eggs for -some little time after they are laid. It heaps -them all up together into a pile, and then bends -its rays downwards in such a way that it stands -upon their tips, looking just like a little table -with twelve very stout legs! It turns itself into -a sort of cage, in fact, with the eggs inside -it, and so guards them carefully until they -hatch.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXVII<br /> - -THE BRITTLE STARFISH</h3> - -<p>The Brittle Starfish is certainly the very oddest -of all odd creatures, for it not only grows -new rays if the old ones should be torn off, but -actually breaks itself into pieces if it is startled -or alarmed! And it is such a timid animal that -a slight touch, or even a shadow suddenly falling -upon it, will alarm it! Then it gives a kind -of shudder, and shatters itself into little bits,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span> -nothing being left but the central disc and a -heap of fragments! However, it does not appear -to suffer any pain, or to lose any blood, and the -five wounds on the disc very quickly heal. Then -after a few days five little buds begin to show -themselves, which quickly grow into new rays, -and in a few weeks’ time the brittle starfish is -as perfect as ever!</p> - -<p>So ready are these creatures to break themselves -up, that it is most difficult to obtain a -perfect brittle starfish for a museum.</p> - -<p>Brittle starfishes are very active animals, and -when they are alive their long slender rays are -always wriggling and coiling and twisting about, -hardly ever seeming to be still for a single -moment. Indeed, one naturalist compares a -brittle starfish to five very long and active -centipedes stitched to a tiny pin-cushion!</p> - -<p>There are several different kinds of these very -curious animals, most of which live at some little -distance below low-water mark, and are hardly -ever caught except by means of the dredge. But -sometimes you may find one of them lying on the -sand at the bottom of a pool among the rocks.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate37"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXVII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_110.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">THE BRITTLE STARFISH.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXVIII<br /> - -THE SEA URCHIN (1 and 2)</h3> - -<p>The “urchin,” as of course you know, is a -common country name for the hedgehog; and -the Sea Urchin is so called because it is covered -all over with long spikes, just as a hedgehog -is. These spines, however, are very easily broken -off, and when the animal dies, and its empty -shell is tossed to and fro by the waves, they are -knocked off in a very short time; so that when -you meet with a sea urchin’s shell lying upon -the shore you nearly always find that it is -covered with nothing more than hundreds of very -tiny pimples.</p> - -<p>Now it is upon these little pimples that the -spines grow. If you were to examine one of the -spines with a magnifying-glass you would find -that its base was hollow. This hollow base is -just large enough to fit over one of the pimples, -to which it is fastened by a strong but rather -elastic muscle. So a sea urchin is able to move -its spines about quite freely. Indeed, it sometimes -walks with them as well as with the little -sucker-feet, which it pokes out through tiny -holes in the shell just as a starfish does, moving -a few forward at a time, and so hitching<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span> -its way along over the sand at the bottom of -the sea.</p> - -<p>If you succeed in finding a live sea urchin—and -you can generally do so without very much -trouble, by hunting in the pools among the rocks -when the tide is out—you will notice that it has -a very big mouth, with five perfectly enormous -teeth. They are so huge, indeed, that if you had -teeth as big, in proportion to your size, they would -be about as large as good big carving-knives!</p> - -<p>On some parts of the coast sea urchins are -eaten as food, being scooped out of their shells -with a spoon, just as we eat a boiled egg at -breakfast. For this reason they are sometimes -known as “sea eggs,” and those who have tried -them say that they are very good indeed.</p> - -<p>You would hardly think, perhaps, that a sea -urchin and a starfish could be related to one -another, for they do not look in the least alike. -But if you take an urchin which has lost its -spines, and examine it carefully, you will see -that it is really a kind of rolled-up starfish, and -you will be able to count its five rays quite easily.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate38"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXVIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_112.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SEA URCHIN WITHOUT SPINES.<br /> - -2. THE SEA URCHIN WITH SPINES.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>There is just one more thing that I must tell -you about these very curious creatures, and that -is that they are very fond of covering themselves -all over with small stones, and little bits of broken -shell, and tiny pieces of sea-weed, in order that -they may not be noticed. They do this in a very -odd way. I told you that they have numbers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span> -of little sucker-feet, which they poke out through -tiny holes in their shells when they are required -for use, just as the starfishes do. Well, when -they want to disguise themselves, they just push -out two or three hundred of these slender sucker-feet -between their spines, and take firm hold -with them of any small objects that may be lying -within reach. In this manner they soon succeed -in covering themselves all over, and you might -easily look at one of them as it lay at the bottom -of a rock-pool without recognising it at all.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VIII<br /> - - -SEA CUCUMBERS AND -JELLYFISHES</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE XXXIX<br /> - -THE SEA CUCUMBER (1)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">IF you grope about in the dark nooks and -corners of a rock-pool, quite close down to -the water’s edge, when the tide is out, you may -perhaps find a curious little creature which looks -rather like a greyish-white cucumber, with an -odd feathery tuft at one end of its body. This -is a Sea Cucumber, or Sea Gherkin, and is chiefly -remarkable because it seems to suffer very much -at times from eating something which does not -agree with it. Then it cures itself in a very odd -way indeed. It gets rid of almost all the inside -of its body, reducing itself to very little more -than an empty bag of skin, with just a little tuft -at one end! It throws off its teeth, it throws -off the lining of its throat, it throws off all its -digestive organs. You would think that it would -kill itself by doing this, wouldn’t you? But it -does not. And before very long new teeth, a -new throat lining, and new digestive organs grow -in the place of the old ones, so that in a few<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span> -weeks’ time the animal is just as perfect as it was -before!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate39"><span class="smcap">Plate XXXIX</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_114.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. SEA CUCUMBER.<span class="gap">2. THE COMMON JELLYFISH.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<p>It seems rather hard to believe that an animal -can treat itself in such a manner as this, and -yet continue to live, doesn’t it? But remember -that “truth is stranger than fiction,” and that -some of the strangest animals of all are found -among those which live in the sea.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XXXIX<br /> - -JELLYFISHES (2)</h3> - -<p>Jellyfishes are among the very oddest creatures -which are found in the sea; for their bodies -are made up almost entirely of sea-water! It is -quite true, of course, that if you cut them in two -the water does not run away. But then if you -cut a cucumber in two the water does not run -away; and yet cucumbers are made almost -entirely of water. And the reason why it does -not run away is just the same in each case. Both -in the cucumber and in the jellyfish the water -is contained in a very large number of very tiny -cells; and if you cut either of them across you -only divide a very small number of the cells, so -that only a very small quantity of water escapes. -But if you leave a jellyfish lying on the beach -in the hot sunshine, and come back to look for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span> -it two or three hours later, you will not find it. -All that you will find will be a ring-shaped mark -in the sand, showing where the jellyfish had -been lying, with just a few threads of animal -matter in the middle. All the rest will have -evaporated, because it was nothing else but -water.</p> - -<p>All the same, jellyfishes are very wonderfully -made; and perhaps the most wonderful thing -of all about them is the fringe of long, slender -threads which hangs down from the edges of -their bodies. For these are the fishing-lines by -means of which they catch their prey. Jellyfishes -feed on all sorts of tiny creatures—the fry of -fishes, and the zoeas of shrimps and prawns, -for instance—and if you were to see one of these -swim up against those terrible threads, you -would notice that it at once became paralysed, -and that in a very few moments it would be -dead. The fact is that all the way along these -threads are set with hundreds and hundreds of -tiny oval cells, each of which has a very slender -dart, with a barbed tip, coiled up like a watch-spring -inside it. And the cells are made in such -a way that as soon as they are touched they fly -open, and the little darts leap out. So, you see, -if any small creature swims up against the -threads numbers of darts at once bury themselves -in its body. And, as these darts are poisoned, -it dies in a very short time.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span>Jellyfishes can swim through the water by -spreading and contracting their umbrella-shaped -bodies, and you may sometimes see them travelling -about in such enormous numbers that the -water is perfectly thick with them.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XL<br /> - -THE STINGING JELLYFISH (1)</h3> - -<p>Sometimes, after a strong south-westerly wind -has been blowing for a day or two in the early -part of the autumn, you may find a brownish -yellow jellyfish lying upon the shore. It has a -circular body about as big as a soup-plate, -fringed all the way round with great masses -of long yellow hairs. And if you find one of -these creatures you are almost sure to find -another before very long, and then another, and -then another; for they nearly always swim -about in shoals together.</p> - -<p>Now, if you do meet with one of these jellyfishes, -be very careful not to touch it with your -bare hands. And if you should happen to be -bathing, and to see one floating in the water -near you, just get out of its way as fast as you -possibly can. For those long yellow threads -which hang down from the margin of its body -sting just like nettles, and the least touch from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span> -them will cause a great deal of pain. If you -have a thin skin, indeed, the sting of this terrible -jellyfish may make you very seriously ill, and -several weeks may pass before the effects of -the poison pass away.</p> - -<p>Yet the fishing-threads of this jellyfish are -scarcely thicker than hairs, and the little darts -which do so much mischief are so slender that -you cannot see them at all without the help of -a good strong microscope. Doesn’t it seem -strange that such tiny weapons can be so dreadfully -poisonous?</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XL<br /> - -THE SEA ACORN (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very common jellyfish indeed; yet -hardly anybody ever sees it. That is because -it is very small and very transparent, so that -as it swims about in the water it is almost -invisible. And if it is flung up on the beach -it dries up in a very few minutes. But if you -want to look at it, you can very easily do so. -On a warm, still day, when the sea is quite -smooth, just dip a small net into the water, -and work it gently to and fro. Then lift it out -and examine the sides carefully, and you are -almost sure to see three or four little lumps -of jelly, not much bigger than peas. These are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span> -sea acorns, and if you put them into a glass -vessel of perfectly clean sea-water, you will -very soon find that they are swimming about. -For though you cannot see the animals themselves, -which are quite as transparent as the -water, you will notice little flashes of coloured -light, sometimes blue, sometimes green, sometimes -yellow, and sometimes red, which just -gleam out for about half a quarter of a second, -and then disappear. You might almost think -that a tiny rainbow had been dissolved in the -water.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate40"><span class="smcap">Plate XL</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_118.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE STINGING JELLYFISH.<span class="gap">2. THE SEA ACORN.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The fact is this. Running round the oval -body of the sea acorn are eight narrow bands, -and on each of these are a number of very tiny -scales, placed one above another, which keep -on rising and falling again, like so many little -trap-doors. These scales are really paddles, by -means of which the animal drives itself through -the water, and as they move up and down they -catch the rays of light and break them up, just -like that triangular piece of glass which we call -a “prism.” And though you cannot see the -jellyfish itself you can see these little flashes of -coloured light, and so can trace the course of -the little creature as it travels slowly along.</p> - -<p>This curious jellyfish has only two fishing-threads, -which hang down from the lower part -of its body. But from each of these a number -of little side-threads spring out, just like the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span> -“snoods” on the lines which fishermen use in -the sea. And the animal is always throwing -these out and drawing them in again, so that -it really “fishes” for the tiny little creatures on -which it feeds.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IX<br /> - - -SEA ANEMONES</h2> -</div> - -<h3>HOW SEA ANEMONES ARE FORMED</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">THE most beautiful of all the creatures which -live in the sea are undoubtedly the Sea -Anemones, which are just like living flowers of -all sorts of lovely colours. But I do not know -why they are called sea “anemones,” for they -are much more like asters, or dahlias, or -chrysanthemums.</p> - -<p>These anemones are made in a very curious -way. You will notice, as you look down into -a rock-pool, that their soft fleshy arms, or -“tentacles,” are all spread out like the petals -of a flower. If you touch them, however, -they at once come closing in and disappear, so -that in two or three moments the creatures -look like mere lumps of coloured jelly. But if -you wait for a little while they will push out -their tentacles again, and spread them just as -before.</p> - -<p>The fact is that the body of a sea anemone -is a kind of double bag. Suppose you take a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span> -paper bag, twist up the mouth, and push it -downwards, so that the sides of the bag surround -it all the way round. You will then have two -bags, as it were, one inside the other, the space -between the two being filled with air. Now -that is just the way in which the body of a sea -anemone is formed, with this difference, that -the space between the outer bag and the inner -one is filled with water. It forms, in fact, a -kind of water-jacket.</p> - -<p>Next, remember that all those spreading tentacles -are really tubes, like the fingers of a glove, -closed at the top, but opening at the bottom into -this water-jacket. And remember also that the -outer walls of the body are formed of very strong -muscles. So, you see, when the anemone wants -to spread its tentacles, all that it has to do is -to contract these muscles. The water is then -squeezed up into the tube-like tentacles, which -of course expand. When it wants to close them -it relaxes the pressure, and the water flows out -of the tubes again and back into the water-jacket, -so that they all come folding in.</p> - -<p>The lower part of an anemone’s body is called -the “foot,” and is really a big and strong sucker, -by means of which the animal clings so firmly -to the surface of a rock or a stone that it almost -seems to be growing out of it. But these creatures -do not spend the whole of their lives<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span> -without moving, as oysters and barnacles do. -Sometimes they will creep slowly along over the -surface of the rock, in order to find a more comfortable -situation, or one where they will have -a better chance of catching prey. And sometimes -they will loose their hold of the rock -altogether, rise to the surface of the water, turn -upside down, and hollow their bodies in such a -way that they form little boats, which can float -along over the waves for quite a long distance.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLI<br /> - -THE SMOOTH ANEMONE (1)</h3> - -<p>This is by far the commonest of all the sea -anemones, and you may find it in hundreds and -thousands by going down among the rocks when -the tide is out, and looking into the pools. You -are almost sure to see that their rocky walls -are dotted all over with lumps of brown or dark -green jelly, some only about as big as peas and -some as large as plums. These are Smooth -Anemones, with their fleshy feelers, or “tentacles” -closed. And just here and there you may see -one of them open, and you will notice that all -the way round the edge of its body, between -the roots of the tentacles, it has a row of little<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span> -bead-like objects of the most beautiful turquoise -blue. For this reason the smooth anemone is -sometimes known as the “beadlet.”</p> - -<p>You can easily keep these anemones in captivity, -for they are very hardy, and are no trouble at -all to feed. Indeed, they will go without any -food at all for three or four months together, -and seem all the better for their long fast. But -if you put a tiny dead crab, or a shrimp, or a -sandhopper, into the midst of their spreading -arms, you will see the tentacles close round it, -and push it down into the mouth, which lies -just in the very middle. For about forty-eight -hours the animal will then remain closed up. -But as soon as it has digested its dinner out -will come the tentacles again, bringing with them -the empty shell of the victim.</p> - -<p>Every now and then, like other anemones, this -animal changes its skin, and when it leaves its -position on the side of a rock-pool and crawls -to a new one, it nearly always leaves a cast skin -behind it.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate41"><span class="smcap">Plate XLI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_124.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE SMOOTH ANEMONE.<span class="gap">2. THE DAISY ANEMONE.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLI<br /> - -THE DAISY ANEMONE (2)</h3> - -<p>This is not nearly such a common creature -as the smooth anemone, but you may sometimes -find it in the rock-pools at low-water on our -southern and western coasts. It is pale greyish -yellow in colour, and has an odd way of altering -its shape from time to time, so that sometimes -its body is long and slender, and sometimes it -is short and stout, while the disc may be long -and narrow one day, and almost round the next. -You can always tell it at once, if you should -happen to meet with it, by looking at its fleshy -feelers, or tentacles, which are marked with -rings of grey and white.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLII<br /> - -THE THICK-ARMED ANEMONE (1)</h3> - -<p>Where the coast is sandy and rocky too this -anemone is often rather common. Yet very few -people ever see it, because it nearly always -fastens itself quite low down on the rocks which -border the pools, so that at least half of its body<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span> -soon becomes covered up with sand. Besides -this, it has a great number of very tiny sucker-feet, -not unlike those of the starfishes and the -sea urchins, and with these it clings to tiny stones -and bits of broken shell, which often quite conceal -its upper surface, so that one really cannot see -the anemone itself at all. But it is quite one -of the very handsomest of all the British sea -anemones, for when it is fully grown it is over -five inches in width; and sometimes it is pearly -white in colour, and sometimes it is green, and -sometimes it is purple and brown, and sometimes -it is crimson, while its tentacles are banded with -scarlet and white. These tentacles are rather -stout in proportion to their length, and when -they are fully spread the animal looks very much -like a cactus dahlia.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLII<br /> - -THE SNAKE-LOCKED ANEMONE (2)</h3> - -<p>This is also one of the prettiest of these very -pretty creatures. But it is not in the least like -the thick-armed anemone, for instead of having -a broad, stout body it has a long slender one; -and instead of short, thick tentacles, like the -petals of a dahlia, it has a bunch of almost thread-like<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span> -arms, which really rather remind one of -little white snakes. And when they are spread -these long arms are hardly ever still, but are -always waving about in the water.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate42"><span class="smcap">Plate XLII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_126.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE THICK-ARMED ANEMONE.<span class="gap">2. THE SNAKE-LOCKED ANEMONE.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>When the snake-locked anemone closes up, -however, you would never know it for the same -creature, for it not only draws its long tentacles -back into its body and tucks them away out -of sight, but contracts the body itself until it is -almost flat. Unless you looked very carefully -at the rock to which it was clinging you would -never notice it at all.</p> - -<p>This anemone is not a very common one, and -is chiefly found on the rocky coasts of Devonshire -and Cornwall. In colour it is almost white.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER X<br /> - - -MADREPORES, CORALS, AND -SPONGES</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE XLIII<br /> - -MADREPORES (1)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">IN some ways these curious creatures are very -much like sea anemones, and if you were to -find one with its tentacles spread you would be -almost sure to think that it was a small anemone. -But if you touched it you would find that you -had made a mistake, for instead of closing itself -up into an almost shapeless lump of jelly, as -the anemones do, it would just draw back its -tentacles, and leave a kind of flinty skeleton -still standing up. For madrepores are really -much more like the wonderful little creatures -which make coral. They suck lime, in some -strange manner which nobody quite understands, -out of the sea-water, and build it up round and -underneath their own bodies. And if you startle -them in any way they draw themselves down -inside this shelly covering, and disappear from -sight altogether; so that all that you can see -is a number of thin plates standing upright on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span> -their edges, and looking rather like the lower -surface of a mushroom turned into stone.</p> - -<p>Madrepores feed on very tiny animals, such as -the fry of small fishes, and the zoeas of shrimps -and prawns. And they catch their victims by -means of a number of fleshy tentacles, which are -very much like those of the sea anemones, except -that they always have little round knobs at the -tips. These tentacles are set with numbers of -tiny cells containing slender poisoned darts, -just as those of the anemones are.</p> - -<p>If you want to find madrepores, you must look -for them among the rocks near the water’s edge -when the tide is at its lowest. But they are not -very common, and on many parts of the coast -they are never found at all.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLIII<br /> - -THE SEA FINGER (2)</h3> - -<p>If you walk along the shore as the tide goes -out, you may often find a soft, pink, fleshy object -which has been thrown up by the waves. And -if you search among the pools at low-water, -you are nearly sure to see other soft, pink, fleshy -objects just like it growing upon their rocky sides, -or upon the stones and shells which lie at the -bottom. They are often known as “dead men’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span> -fingers,” or “dead men’s toes.” But as those -are not very nice names, we will call these objects -“sea fingers.”</p> - -<p>Now if you pick up one of these sea fingers -and look at it carefully, you will see that its -surface is pierced all over with numbers of tiny -holes. And if you take a good strong magnifying-glass, -and look at one of the holes through that, -you will see that it is shaped like a little flower -with eight petals, or a star with eight rays.</p> - -<p>The fact is that the sea finger is the home -of a most curious animal; or perhaps one should -rather say that it is the home of hundreds of most -curious animals. Indeed, it is not at all easy -to know which is the right way to describe it. -For if you were to take a living sea finger, and -to put it into a vessel of clear sea-water, you -would very soon notice that a little tiny star-shaped -animal had poked itself out of each little -star-shaped hole. There would be hundreds of -these little animals—or “polyps,” as they are -called—altogether. But yet they would only have -one body between them, for they are joined -together in such a wonderful way that the food -which is caught and eaten by one polyp nourishes -all the others as well as itself!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate43"><span class="smcap">Plate XLIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_130.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE MADREPORE.<span class="gap">2. THE SEA FINGER.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLIV<br /> - -THE TUFT CORAL (1)</h3> - -<p>Nearly all the coral-building animals are found -in the tropical seas, for they can only live in water -which is quite warm all the year round. But -there are just a very few which are sometimes -found off our own shores, and one of these is -the Tuft Coral. It looks rather like a tree which -has just been “pollarded” by having all the small -branches taken away and all the big ones cut -quite short; and sometimes it weighs as much -as six or even seven pounds.</p> - -<p>People sometimes say that the curious substance -which we call “coral” is made by “coral -insects.” But the little animals which make it -are not related in any way to the true insects. -They are really tiny polyps, very much like those -of the sea finger; and they suck up lime out of -the water, and build it up underneath and round -their own bodies, just as the madrepores do.</p> - -<p>If you were to place one of these tuft corals -in a vessel of clear sea-water, and to watch it carefully, -you would soon see the little polyps poking -themselves out, and spreading their tiny fleshy -feelers, or “tentacles.” The coral which they -make is pearly white in colour, with just a faint -tinge of rosy red, and the polyps themselves are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span> -partly white, and partly fawn, and partly chestnut -brown.</p> - -<p>One does not often find a tuft coral, however, -for the polyps like to live in rather deep water. -But when there is a very high spring-tide, as -there generally is about the end of March and -the end of September, the waves retreat afterwards -a good deal farther than usual. And then, -if you go right down to the water’s edge, you -may perhaps find a tuft coral fastened to the -rocks.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLIV<br /> - -THE BREAD-CRUMB SPONGE (2)</h3> - -<p>I dare say that you will be rather surprised -to hear that nearly three hundred different kinds -of sponges have been found in the British seas. -You will not be able to find very many of these, -however, for they nearly all live in deep water, -and have to be scooped up by means of the -dredge. But the Bread-crumb Sponge is easily -found, for it lives in shallow water, and you -are nearly sure to find it if you look for it in -the rock-pools.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate44"><span class="smcap">Plate XLIV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_132.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE TUFT CORAL.<span class="gap">2. THE BREAD-CRUMB SPONGE.</span><br /> - -3. THE GRANTIA SPONGE.<span class="gap">4. FORAMINIFERA.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>But I hardly think that anybody, on seeing -it for the first time, would take it to be a sponge -at all. For it is not in the least like a bath -sponge. It is just a kind of fleshy crust, sometimes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span> -greenish in colour and sometimes yellow, -which grows round the stems of sea-weed, or -covers the surfaces of rocks and stones. And -the odd thing about it is that when it clings to -sea-weeds its surface is quite smooth, with a -number of large holes in it, but that when it -grows on rocks it is covered all over with little -projections which look just like the craters of -volcanoes.</p> - -<p>It is rather difficult to describe the animal -which lives in the sponge, for it really consists -of a large number of tiny animals all joined -together in one common mass, very much like -the polyps of the sea finger. But they are so -very small that unless you examine them by -means of a good strong microscope they only -look like a mass of brownish jelly.</p> - -<p>These little creatures obtain their food in a -very curious way. If you look at the surface -of the sponge through a magnifying-glass, you -will see that it is pierced by a great many very -tiny holes as well as by a number of bigger -ones. Now water is always passing in through -the small holes and out again through the big -ones; and as it does so the little creatures -manage to suck out all the tiny atoms of animal -and vegetable matter which were floating about -in it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLIV<br /> - -THE GRANTIA SPONGE (3)</h3> - -<p>This is quite a small sponge, which you may -often find by hunting about in the rock-pools -just above low-water mark. Sometimes it clings -to sea-weeds, and sometimes it hangs down from -the surfaces of the rocks; and when you find -one you are almost sure to find several others -close by.</p> - -<p>In appearance, they are rather like little flat -white bags, or purses; and when they reach -their full size they are generally about an inch -long and an inch and a half wide.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLIV<br /> - -FORAMINIFERA (4)</h3> - -<p>“Foraminifera!” That is rather a long name; -isn’t it? But if we cut it in two, and strike out -one of the letters, we shall see what it means. -<i>Foramin-(i)-fera</i>. Now the first part of the name -is a Latin word which means “a hole,” and the -last part is another Latin word which signifies -“bearers.” So “foraminifera” means “hole-bearers,” -and this title has been given to certain<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span> -very tiny creatures which live in the sea because -they inhabit shells, which are pierced all over -by numbers and numbers of still tinier holes.</p> - -<p>These foraminifera are so very small that -numbers of them can live in a single drop of -water! Yet, strange to say, all the chalk in the -world is made of their shells! For in days of -old—thousands and thousands of years ago—they -were found in the sea in millions of millions -of millions. And as they died their empty shells -sank down to the bottom of the sea in such -enormous numbers that at last they formed a -layer hundreds of feet thick. Then suddenly -one day there came a great earthquake, and a -great deal of this vast layer of shells was forced -up above the surface in the form of what we -now call chalk. So that “the chalk cliffs of old -England” are really made of nothing but shells, -so very small indeed that you cannot see them -without the help of a very strong microscope!</p> - -<p>There are a great many different kinds of -foraminifera. But if you look at them through -a good microscope you will always see that -their shells are pierced by the tiny holes from -which they take their name.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XI<br /> - - -SEA-WEEDS</h2> -</div> - -<h3>PLATE XLV<br /> - -THE BLADDER-WRACK (1)</h3> - -<p class="drop-cap">I DARE say that you would like to know something -about the sea-weeds which you may find -on the shore; so I am now going to describe -some of those which you are almost certain to -meet with.</p> - -<p>First of all, then, and commonest of all, there -is the bladder-wrack. Wherever there are rocks -on which it can grow you will always see it in -great masses. And after every storm enormous -quantities of it are torn off and flung upon the -beach. Then the farmers send down their carts -to carry it away. For after it has been piled up -in heaps for some time, so as to allow it partly -to decay, it makes a most useful manure; and -the farmers are only too glad to be able to spread -it over their fields.</p> - -<p>This plant is called the “bladder-wrack” because -of the odd little oval bladders filled with -air which are found in the leaves, and which -explode with a slight report if you tread upon -them or squeeze them.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate45"><span class="smcap">Plate XLV</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_136.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE BLADDER-WRACK.<span class="gap">2. THE OAR WEED.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLV<br /> - -THE OAR WEED (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very fine sea-weed indeed, for it often -grows to a height of ten or eleven feet. But -you are not likely to see it growing, for it lives -in rather deep water, where it is always covered -even at the lowest tides. It is often flung up -by the waves, however, and you must many times -have noticed its long, thick stem and flat plate-like -leaves lying upon the shore as the tide was -going down.</p> - -<p>The stem of the oar weed is often used for -making the handles of knives. When it is quite -fresh, it is so soft that the “tang” of a knife-blade—the -part, that is, which is fastened into the -handle—can be forced into it quite easily. But -if it is put aside for a few months to dry it -becomes as hard and solid as horn, and holds -the blade so firmly that it is almost impossible -to pull it out again.</p> - -<p>If you look at the “roots” of the oar weed -you will see that they are not like those of plants -which grow in the ground, but are really very -strong suckers. For sea-weeds do not send their -roots down into the rock, as land plants do into -the ground, but merely cling to the surface. -That is why they are so easily torn up by the -waves.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLVI<br /> - -CORALLINE (1)</h3> - -<p>For a great many years naturalists could not -make up their minds whether this very pretty -sea-weed was really a sea-weed or not. For it -possesses the curious power of sucking out lime -from the sea-water and building it up round -itself, just as the polyps of the madrepores and -the corals do: so that when it dies and decays -it leaves a kind of chalky skeleton behind it. For -this reason it was often supposed to be really a -kind of coral. We know now, however, that it -is a plant. For if it is placed in acid, which -dissolves away this “skeleton,” we find that a true -vegetable framework is left behind it.</p> - -<p>While it is alive the coralline is of a deep purple -colour. It is quite a small plant, growing only -to a height of four or five inches, and you may -find it in quantities on the rocks near low-water -mark.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLVI<br /> - -DULSE (2)</h3> - -<p>This weed is also known as the Dillisk, or -Dillosk. I dare say that you have often seen -it, for it is quite common on nearly all the rocky<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span> -parts of our coasts, sometimes growing on the -rocks themselves, and sometimes on the larger -sea-weeds. In colour, it is a deep, dark red, and -if you look down upon it on a bright sunny day, -as it grows in a pool of clear sea-water, you -may see all kinds of lovely rainbow tints playing -over its leaves. The leaves or “fronds” as they -are more properly called, are about two inches -long and a quarter of an inch wide.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate46"><span class="smcap">Plate XLVI</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_138.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. CORALLINE.<span class="gap">2. DULSE.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p>The dulse is one of the sea-weeds which are -used for food. On many parts of the coast of -Ireland it is very largely eaten, both boiled and -raw, and some people are so fond of it that they -have it for breakfast every day.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLVII<br /> - -THE GREEN LAVER (1)</h3> - -<p>Another name for this plant is the Sea Lettuce; -and certainly, with its broad, bright green, -crinkled leaves, it does look rather like a cabbage -lettuce. It is a very useful plant to keep in a -salt-water aquarium, for its leaves give off little -bubbles of oxygen gas, which help to keep the -water pure and fit for fishes and other creatures -to live in. If you look at it on a bright sunny -day you will often find that the leaves are covered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span> -all over with these tiny bubbles, which look just -like little drops of quicksilver.</p> - -<p>The green laver is found in abundance on -most of our rocky coasts, and is often boiled -down into a kind of jelly and used as food.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLVII<br /> - -THE PURPLE LAVER (2)</h3> - -<p>This plant is very much like the green laver, -except that it is purple in colour instead of -green. It is often boiled down into jelly and -used as food, more especially in Ireland, where -it is generally known as “sloke,” and is cooked -and brought to table in a silver saucepan.</p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLVIII<br /> - -CARRAGEEN MOSS (1)</h3> - -<p>I do not know why this plant should be called -a moss, for it is not in the least like the true -mosses, as you can easily see by looking at the -illustration. It is very common indeed, growing -both in the pools among the rocks and also in -deep water. But it is not a very easy plant to -describe, for it varies very much in colour, being<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span> -sometimes green, and sometimes yellow, and -sometimes purple. Like the dulse, it is often -used for food, being boiled down into a kind -of jelly, and then either eaten by itself, or -mixed with tea or coffee. It makes very good -size, too, and is used a good deal in the manufacture -of calico. Farmers use it, too, for fattening -calves, and also for mixing with the potatoes -or meal with which the pigs are fed. So that -altogether it is a very useful sea-weed indeed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate47"><span class="smcap">Plate XLVII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_140.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. THE GREEN LAVER.<span class="gap">2. THE PURPLE LAVER.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<h3>PLATE XLVIII<br /> - -THE SEA GRASS (2)</h3> - -<p>This is a very pretty sea-weed, which you may -often find growing in great quantities in the -pools which are left among the rocks as the -tide goes down. When its long, narrow fronds -are waving to and fro in the water it really -looks most lovely, and you can almost fancy -that you are gazing down into fairyland. And -as the shrimps and prawns and little fishes dart -in and out among its bright green leaves, one -might almost imagine them to be the fairies!</p> - -<p>The fronds of this pretty sea-weed vary a good -deal in width, for sometimes they are like strips -of narrow ribbon, and sometimes they are scarcely -broader than hairs.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span></p> - - -<h3>PLATE XLVIII<br /> - -THE GRASS WRACK (3)</h3> - -<p>In one way this is the most curious of all the -plants which you may find on the shore. For -it is not really a sea-weed at all, but is a flowering -plant which somehow or other has taken to -living at the bottom of the sea. You may often -find it in the deeper pools just above low-water -mark; and you can tell it at once by its very -long, very narrow, bright green leaves. These -leaves are often three or four feet in length, -while they are only about three-eighths of an -inch wide; so that really they do look very much -like blades of grass.</p> - -<p>The grass wrack is not one of the true grasses, -however, for it has real flowers, which grow in -a kind of sheath formed by one of the shorter -leaves. And its stem creeps along under the -muddy sand, and throws up leaves at intervals, -very much like that of the common bracken. -On many parts of the coast it grows in the -greatest abundance. There are large fields of -it, so to speak, below low-water mark, which -afford refuge for all kinds of small sea-creatures. -Indeed, if you want to catch these animals for -yourself, the very best way to do it is to wait -until the tide is quite low, and then to wade<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span> -into the water and fish about in the masses of -grass wrack with a small net.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="ph1"><a id="plate48"><span class="smcap">Plate XLVIII</span></a></p> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_142.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption">1. CARRAGEEN MOSS.<span class="gap">2. THE SEA GRASS.</span><br /> -3. THE GRASS WRACK.</p> -</div> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Great quantities of the long, narrow leaves -of this plant are often flung up on the shore; -and when they have been thoroughly dried they -are often used for packing glass or china, instead -of hay or straw.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -Printed by <span class="smcap">Ballantyne, Hanson</span> & <span class="smcap">Co.</span><br /> -Edinburgh & London</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span></p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span> - -<h2 class="nobreak">INDEX</h2> - -<div class="blockquot2"> - -<p> -Acorn shells, <a href="#Page_90">90</a><br /> -<br /> -Anemone, smooth, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">anemone, daisy, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">anemone, thick-armed, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">anemone, snake-locked, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Anemones, sea, <a href="#Page_121">121</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Bladder-wrack, <a href="#Page_136">136</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Carrageen moss, <a href="#Page_140">140</a><br /> -<br /> -Chiton, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> -<br /> -Cockle, <a href="#Page_39">39</a><br /> -<br /> -Coralline, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> -<br /> -Cowry, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> -<br /> -Crab, edible, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">crab, shore, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, masked, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, fiddler, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, thornback, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, long-beaked spider, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, four-horned spider, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, pea, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab caterpillars, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab chrysalids, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">crab, hermit, <a href="#Page_77">77</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Crabs, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>-<a href="#Page_64">64</a><br /> -<br /> -Cuttle, <a href="#Page_16">16</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Dog whelk, <a href="#Page_20">20</a><br /> -<br /> -Dragonet, <a href="#Page_6">6</a><br /> -<br /> -Dulse, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Egg of the dog-fish, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> -<br /> -Egg of the skate, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Flounder, <a href="#Page_9">9</a><br /> -<br /> -Foraminifera, <a href="#Page_134">134</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Gaper, <a href="#Page_46">46</a><br /> -<br /> -Gobies, <a href="#Page_1">1</a><br /> -<br /> -Grass wrack, <a href="#Page_142">142</a><br /> -<br /> -Grey top, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Jellyfishes, <a href="#Page_115">115</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Laver, green, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">laver, purple, <a href="#Page_140">140</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Limpet, common, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">limpet, key-hole, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">limpet, smooth, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">limpet, cup and saucer, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Little piddock, <a href="#Page_50">50</a><br /> -<br /> -Lobster, <a href="#Page_81">81</a><br /> -<br /> -Lug worm, <a href="#Page_101">101</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Madrepores, <a href="#Page_128">128</a><br /> -<br /> -Mussel, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">mussel, horse, <a href="#Page_42">42</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Nemertes, <a href="#Page_102">102</a><br /> -<br /> -Nereis, <a href="#Page_103">103</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Oar weed, <a href="#Page_137">137</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span><br /> -<br /> -Oyster, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">oyster, saddle, <a href="#Page_38">38</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Painted top, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> -<br /> -Periwinkle, <a href="#Page_23">23</a><br /> -<br /> -Piddock, <a href="#Page_47">47</a><br /> -<br /> -Pinna, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> -<br /> -Pipe-fish, <a href="#Page_7">7</a><br /> -<br /> -Plaice, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> -<br /> -Prawn, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">prawn, æsop, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Purpura, <a href="#Page_24">24</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Razor, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Sabella, <a href="#Page_97">97</a><br /> -<br /> -Sabre razor, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> -<br /> -Sandhopper, <a href="#Page_87">87</a><br /> -<br /> -Sand screw, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> -<br /> -Scallop, variable, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">scallop, radiated, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">scallop, hunchback, <a href="#Page_45">45</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Sea acorn, <a href="#Page_118">118</a><br /> -<br /> -Sea cucumber, <a href="#Page_114">114</a><br /> -<br /> -Sea finger, <a href="#Page_129">129</a><br /> -<br /> -Sea grass, <a href="#Page_141">141</a><br /> -<br /> -Sea mouse, <a href="#Page_95">95</a><br /> -<br /> -Sea snail, <a href="#Page_25">25</a><br /> -<br /> -Sea urchin, <a href="#Page_111">111</a><br /> -<br /> -Serpula, <a href="#Page_98">98</a><br /> -<br /> -Ship barnacles, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> -<br /> -Shipworm, <a href="#Page_51">51</a><br /> -<br /> -Shrimp, <a href="#Page_86">86</a><br /> -<br /> -Smooth blenny, <a href="#Page_4">4</a><br /> -<br /> -Sponge, bread-crumb, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">sponge, grantia, <a href="#Page_134">134</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Spotted gunnell, <a href="#Page_5">5</a><br /> -<br /> -Starfish, five-finger, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>;<br /> -<span class="ind">starfish, bird’s-foot, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">starfish, sun, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</span><br /> -<span class="ind">starfish, brittle, <a href="#Page_109">109</a></span><br /> -<br /> -Starfishes’ legs, <a href="#Page_105">105</a><br /> -<br /> -Stinging jellyfish, <a href="#Page_117">117</a><br /> -<br /> -Sting winkle, <a href="#Page_21">21</a><br /> -<br /> -Sunset shell, <a href="#Page_45">45</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Terebella, <a href="#Page_99">99</a><br /> -<br /> -Tuft coral, <a href="#Page_131">131</a><br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Wentletrap, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> -<br /> -Whelk, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></p> -</div></div> - - - -<p class="center"> -Printed by <span class="smcap">Ballantyne, Hanson</span> & <span class="smcap">Co.</span><br /> -Edinburgh & London</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="transnote"> -<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p> - - - - - -<p>Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.</p> - -<p>Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.</p> -</div></div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEA-SHORE ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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