CHAPTER XI. 



PERILS OF THE OYSTER. 



PERILS ATTENDANT ON ITS BIRTH THE DREDGE ENJOYMENTS OF 

 THE OYSTER "GREENING" OF THE OYSTER NOT INSENSIBLE 

 TO PAIN THE STAR-FISH, NOTIONS OF THE ANCIENTS CON- 

 CERNING IT HOW THE STAR-FISH OR SEA-STAR ATTACKS 

 AND DEVOURS THE OYSTER THE ECHINI OR " SEA-URCHINS " 

 THE WHELK TINGLE OYSTERS, THE PREY OF QUADRUPEDS 

 THE CRAB THE OYSTER-CATCHER SEA-WORMS THE CLIONA 

 THE ROYSTON CROW THE CARRION CROW SAND AND FROST 

 THE ASTYRIS. 



" Life maintains life. The death of one provides food 

 and development to others, for all are bound up together ; 

 all assist at the metamorphoses continually occurring in 

 the organic as in the inorganic world, the result being 

 general and profound harmony harmony always worthy of 

 admiration. The Creator alone is unchangeable, omnipo- 

 tent, and permanent ; all else is transition." The Ocean 

 World, p. 57. 



Violence produces violence, and antagonism antagon- 

 ism, whether among animals or men ; but it is equally true 

 that, in the absence of such qualities, there may be the 

 endurance of malignant assaults, and of repeated and 

 grievous injuries. The oyster, for example, lying on its 



