220 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



fact for those of my hearers who are sceptical about 



missing 



links ! 



The ages which have passed away since these 

 things occurred are bewildering to those who are 

 anxious to know, in so many years, how old the 

 world is, as if that fact would add anything material 

 to their real knowledge. At the time of which I am 

 speaking the area occupied by the Himalaya moun- 

 tains was a deep sea-bottom : that great mass has 

 been slowly elevated to its present great height 

 since the era of my birth. The Jura Alps were in 

 the same condition, and have undergone similar ele- 

 vation. One generation of animals and plants after 

 another has passed away from the earth, having 

 been slowly pushed out of existence by newly-intro- 

 duced species, better fitted to the alterations effected 

 through the changes in physical geography. The 

 whole of the oolitic strata of soft sands, oozy lime, 

 and dark mud, as well as the beds of loose fresh- 

 water shells, have undergone chemical action and 

 change, and been transformed into sandstones, lime- 

 stones, shales, and Purbeck marbles. Our family 

 has been in past times, and is now, a favourite with 

 man in his endeavour to express his religious con- 

 victions and sesthetical feelings. We form the stone- 

 work of his grand churches and cathedrals, and 

 I myself had the honoured position of forming 

 part of his altar, his christening-font, or his grave- 

 slab ! The tread of many generations of men has 

 not effaced my lacustrine origin. Dynasties and re- 

 ligions have passed away, and been replaced by 

 others breathing a more Christian and liberal spirit, 

 just as the oolitic animals were replaced by those of 

 a higher organization ; but I still form part of these 

 grand structures, silently testifying to the endu- 

 rability of nature over art, and yet myself a testimony 

 that Nature herself is full of changes, and restlessly 

 advances to a more perfect condition ! 



A SPRING MORNING AT THE SEASIDE. 



"IX7E have chosen a quiet little spot on the south- 

 * * east coast of England as the place where we 

 intend to pass a morning at the shore ; it is situated 

 on the summit of a hill, from which a lane leads to 

 the sea. 



We are up betimes the morning following our 

 arrival, and as we enter the street, a most fragrant 

 air greets us. It is indeed a lovely morning ; the 

 sky is remarkably clear, and the sun very dazzling. 

 The villagers are astir, and from the various shops 

 and houses come the sounds of toil. Let us take 

 the road to the sea. 



The view is very beautiful. To our right is 

 Bcachy Head in the distance, with the white chalk 

 near its point very plainly visible, as is also every 

 roadway upon it. Eastbourne, a distance of some 

 twelve miles, is also distinctly seen, and Pevensey 

 Bay appears as a strip of sea of a sky-blue colour 



running inland 



we are able to trace the bend of 

 the bay, as also to count every martello tower on 

 the coast as far as Eastbourne. The undulations 

 and hollows in the headland are very noticeable 

 (from the shadows), and a few light straw-coloured 

 cirrhus clouds are hanging over it. 



We now come to the view more immediately in 

 front of us ; a little to our right and on the coast 

 is the Coastguard Station, with its little white 

 houses and flagstaff glittering in the sun. We pass 

 over the bridge of the London, Brighton, and South- 

 Coast Railway ; a few yellowish-coloured lichens 

 line the red bricks of which it is built, and, darting 

 about, are numerous tiger spiders (Salticus scenicus), 

 evidently enjoying the sun's rays. 



Immediately in front of us the lane winds down 

 to the sea, which is stretched out before us, of a 

 light greenish-blue colour, and streaked with long 

 stripes of greyish blue. At the bend of the lane 

 and at the side is a fisherman's black hut, standing 

 out in bold relief against the sea. A fisherman 

 passes, and gives us an Echinus, which he says he 

 has had in his hat for two hours ; consequently we 

 have not much faith in its being alive. A little 

 further on, we hear a curious rustling in the bank of 

 the road, composed of ivy, brambles, dried leaves, 

 twigs, and grass. We stop to listen ; after a mo- 

 ment or two it is repeated, and stooping gently, and 

 looking in the direction whence the noise proceeded, 

 we discover that it is caused by little land-lizards 

 {Zootoca vivipard), which are darting about jerkily 

 amongst the sticks and dried leaves ; we try to 

 catch them, but they disappear in an instant. Here, 

 on the bank, grows the sweet violet {Viola odorata), 

 on the leaves of which some large beetles (Meloe 

 proscarabams) are feeding greedily, each downward 

 movement of their heads or jaws making the semi- 

 circular gap, already large, greater in the leaf. 



Still following the bend of the road, we pass the 

 black cottage, with its old-fashioned latticed win- 

 dows and red-tiled roof ; another turn takes us in 

 sight of a raised beach, which now r hides the sea 

 from us, and we hear its dull plashing. We mount 

 this beach rapidly, in excited anticipation of the first 

 view of the rocks. We gain the top, where one or two 

 boats are lying, and arc now (for it is low water) in 

 sight of the rocks, from which a delicious odour of 

 seaweed is wafted to us ; we take in a full breath, 

 for we are loth to lose such pure air, and stand 

 surveying the scene. 



To our left lies a long strip of blackish-looking 

 rocks, raised several feet above the sand, which 

 extends beyond them to the left, and stretching out 

 to the sea like a headland. Let us walk upon these 

 rocks and explore them. 



The first rocks which we step upon are much 

 hollowed and fretted away, and their surface in 

 some places resembles iron slag. They are scantily 

 covered with balani (Bahinoides), with very sparse 



