30 THE SEA SHORE 



that perform a most useful work in devouring the decomposing 

 organic matter that would otherwise tend to pollute the air. 



Here we may find many useful and interesting objects of both 

 the animal and vegetable worlds. Among the former are the 

 empty shells of both univalve and bivalve molluscs, some of which 

 are more or less worn by the action of the waves, while others are 

 in splendid condition for examination and study. Here, too, are 

 various species of sea firs and the skeletons of sponges ; the 

 shell of the cuttle-fish, and occasionally a cluster of the eggs of this 

 creature the sea-grapes of the fishermen ; also the egg-cases of 

 the skate and the dog-fish usually empty, but sometimes enclosing 

 the young animal still alive ; and, lastly, we frequently meet with 

 portions of the skeletons of fishes in a perfect state of preservation, 

 the animal matter having been cleared away by the combined 

 action of the scavengers previously referred to. Then, as regards 

 the vegetable world, we often find beautiful specimens of sea-weeds 

 along the high-water mark, some of which are rarely met with 

 in the rock pools, since they are species that have been detached 

 from beyond the line of low water, and washed up by the breakers. 



On turning over the debris thus thrown on the beach we intrude 

 on the privacy of numerous living creatures which immediately 

 scamper away to find a new hiding-place. These consist principally 

 of sand-hoppers, but occasionally we find members of the insect 

 world engaged in the same useful work in addition to the numerous 

 flies that perform their office of scavengers in the bright sunshine 

 on the top of the matter that supplies them with food. 



It will be interesting to capture a few of these scavengers, and 

 to compare them with others of the same order obtained from 

 different localities. Thus, the flies may be compared with the 

 more familiar house fly, and the sand-hoppers of high-water mark 

 with similar crustaceans to be afterwards obtained lower on the 

 beach. 



Attention should now be given to the rocks left exposed by the 

 retreating tide, and it is here that the real work begins. Examine 

 each rock pool as soon as possible after it is no longer disturbed 

 by the waves. Remove any tufts of corallines or other weeds 

 required for study or preservation, and simply place them, pro tern., 

 in the vasculum or other receptacle provided for the purpose. 

 These will form a useful protective packing for other objects that 

 are to be carried away, so that it will be advisable to secure a 

 moderate amount rather early, even though they may not be 



