276 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



SABELLA. 



' Thus He who makes and peoples worlds still works 

 In secrecy, behind a veil of light : 

 Yet through that hiding of his power such glimpses 

 Of glory break as strike presumption blind." 



EVERY sea-side naturalist has doubtless had frequent 

 opportunities of remarking agglomerated clusters of 

 sandy tubes, with numerous circular orifices, rudely 

 resembling a honeycomb ; or they may have noticed 

 flattened tubes, composed more solidly of particles of 

 sand agglutinated to the surface of shells ; or it may 

 be they have been struck with the appearance of 

 some single conical tube of larger dimensions, neatly 

 constructed of similar particles, with or without a 

 silky lining, but altogether so fragile as to be qualified 

 to offer very little resistance against violence. All 

 these, whether weak or strong, solitary or conglo- 

 merated, confined or spacious, are the work of their 

 respective tenants, the Sabella, a race of elegant An- 

 nelidans, generally of small size, whose presence in 

 the aquarium will enable the student to pass many an 

 agreeable hour in watching them while sedulously 

 employed in fabricating these curious dwellings. 



