220 



HARDWICKE'S S C IEN C E - G OSSIP. 



[Oct. 1, 1867. 



(Echinus sphsera). Though both of them are 

 designated " common," they are certainly neither of 

 them common, according to our experience, in the 

 locality alluded to. 



Of Zoophytes and Polyzoa, dead specimens are 

 plentiful enough. There is the Oaten Pipe Coralline 

 (Tubularia indivisa), and the Branched Pipe Coral- 

 line (see Science-Gossip, 1865, page 177) ; still more 

 commonly the Sickle Coralline (Plumularia falcata), 

 and the Sea Eir (Sertularia abietina), both of which 

 are figured in a former number (August, 1865). One 

 of the most frequent of Polyzoa is the Sea Mat 

 (Elustra foliacea), and, nearly as common, the Paper- 

 Sea Mat (Elustra chartacea), to say nothing of the 

 parasitic species on sea mat, coralline, or seaweed. 



Of all the strange objects which a high tide leaves 

 stranded, there is one not at all attractive by any 

 beauty which it possesses, but which is sure to raise a 

 host of inquiries (fig. 211). It has a most variable 

 form and size, ranging between two or three inches 

 and a foot in length, of a colour resembling sponge, 

 the substance tough, fleshy, and somewhat firm; 

 and the odour nothing in particular when fresh, but 

 particularly undesirable as it becomes stale. This 

 is the "Dead Man's Fingers" (Alcyonidium gelati- 

 nosum, fig. 212), a republic of "low life." Under 

 the microscope, the whole surface will be found 

 covered with teat-like projections ; and should the 

 specimen be really alive, an animal resident within 

 each of these projections will protude its tentacles. 

 It is most probable that the specimens picked up 

 on the beach will be past all exhibition of vitality. 



We must not forget the sea-anemones, which the 

 receding tide will leave exposed to the stroller's 

 gaze like little lumps of jelly adhering to the rocks. 

 No great variety will be found here ; but, especially 

 on the rocks near the old town, marked by the 

 remains of old piles, their tops worn to cones and 

 covered with green seaweed, hundreds of smooth 

 anemone, of all shades and sizes, may be collected. 

 This species is figured under the name of "Beadlet" 

 (Actinia mesembryanthemum) in our volume for 

 1865 (page 157, fig. 10). Its chief beauty resides 

 in the turquoise beads which surround the disc ; 

 otherwise the colours are usually some shade 

 between brown and green. 



Towards the other end of the town, a little to the 

 east of the Infirmary, when the water is very low, 

 as at new and full moon, a few Daisy Anemones 

 (Sagartia bellis) may be seen, with an occasional — 

 very occasional — " crass," or Dahlia Wartlet (Tealia 

 crassicomis). To see them is one thing, but to get 

 them, if required for an aquarium, is another. This 

 applies particularly to the Daisy Anemone, which of 

 all others is the most desirable for a small aquarium. 

 Our hostess had never seen such creatures until we 

 established a temporary tank in a hand-basin for 

 their reception; and her brother, although seventeen 

 years resident, had neither seen nor heard of such 



things before. Well, we have all of us a world of 

 our own, and theirs had certainly not the same 

 orbit. 



Of Molluscs, thousands of mussels are attached to 

 the rocks, and the Dog-whelk (Purpura lapillus) 

 crawls amongst the seaweed. The conical shells of 

 the Limpet (Patella vulgata) are almost as numerous 

 (fig. 215), and the little Yellow Perriwinkle (Lit- 

 torina littoralis) is quite at home amongst the sea- 



Fig. 215. Limpet. 



wrack. The common shells of the beach are con- 

 fined to a few species, such as the Scallop (Pecten 



Fig. 216. Scallop. 



varius, fig. 216), and the pretty little elongated shells 

 of the Donax politus (fig. 217). The larger and 



Fig 21/. Donax politus. 



more rounded shells of the Trough-shell (Mactra 

 stultprum, fig. 218) are also numerous. The shells 

 of the mussel, limpet, rocks, stones, iron drain-pipes, 

 &c, are profusely covered with the Acorn Barnacle 

 (Balanus balanoides), and the rocks are perforated 

 in all directions by Pholas dactylus, one of the most 

 wonderful of Nature's excavators. 



There are other objects besides those which we 

 have enumerated thus briefly, each of which has a 

 history, and possesses an interest ; but had we at- 



