COLLECTING AT BAR HARBOR 43 



Under the rockweeds in small pools and crevices are the poly- 

 zoans Bugula turrita and Membranipora pilosa, and the hydroids 

 Sertularia pumila and 8. argentea. 



The seaweeds RJtodymenia palmata (dulse) and Desmarestia are 

 plentiful ; also beautiful worms, crustaceans, and starfishes. 



A very interesting beach is found a few hundred feet south of 

 Otter Cliffs, to which an easy descent is made if one follows a 

 pathway leading to it through a grove adjacent to the drive. 

 Here one will be interested in the study of numerous and beauti- 

 ful rock pools. 



Sea-urchins (Strongylocentrotus drobachiensis) seem to carpet 

 some of them, having the appearance of mossy tufts. Beautiful 

 pink and purple starfishes (Asterias vulgaris), brittle-stars (Opliio- 

 pholis aculeata), sea-cucumbers (Pmtacta frondosa), sea-anemones, 

 and crabs are abundant. If one lifts a stone the little crusta- 

 ceans Orchestia and Gammarus will hurry away, and very likely 

 an interesting worm or a nudibranch will be found. It is also 

 most interesting to watch the barnacles, which are below the 

 surface, reaching out their curled, feather-like feet in regular 

 rhythmic grasping motions. The common mussels (Mytillus edtt- 

 lis), which in places blacken the shore, are beautiful under 

 examination, and the silky network or byssus which forms the 

 anchorage should be observed. 



The rocks are hung so plentifully with Ascophyllmn nodosum 

 (rockweed) that its beauty is likely to be passed over unnoticed. 

 On the AscopJiyllum is growing in tufts Polysiplionia fastigiata ; 

 other seaweeds, RJiodymenia palmata, Chordaria Jiagelliformis, Des- 

 marestia aculeata, Corallina officinalis, and Ceramium, are so 

 abundant that one forgets to value them at the moment. Higher 

 up on the beach the rocks are spotted with papery sheets, which, 

 floated out in water, prove to be the beautiful purple PorpJiyra. A 

 fine, dark colored, hairy scum on the rocks is Bangiafusco-purpurea. 

 Sometimes one finds here fronds of Laminaria which have been 

 washed ashore. Various green alga? are abundant. Even if not 

 collecting, it is well to carry a small tin pail to the beach and 

 float out pieces of the algaa in order to observe carefully, if but 

 for a moment, the beautif ul forms they have in their natural ?tate. 

 Watched for a few minutes in a pail of water they disclose cur> 



