SEA-HARES AND SEA-SLUGS. 23 



nose-tip is cold against the surface that you know 

 there is water. We have just climbed up a ledge, and 

 looked down into a pool. Oui' footing is somewhat in- 

 secure, but we cling savagely, and call down few bless- 

 ings on the heads of the countless Balani which stud 

 the rock, and tear our hands. There, now, we have 

 settled into a position in which we can work. Look at 

 that Gem, with its lovely tiger- tentacles ; it has just 

 swallowed a small fish, and is now, while digesting, 

 opening its arms for more. And there, on the green 

 broad leaves of theUlva, crawl two Sea-hares (A ply sice) 

 (see Plate II., fig. 4). What queer creatures! One 

 would fancy them slugs which had been troubled with 

 absurd caprices of • metamorphosis, and having first 

 thought of passing from the form of slugs to that of 

 hares, changed their weak minds, and resolved on being- 

 camels ; but no sooner was the hump complete, than 

 they bethought them that, after all, the highest thing 

 in life was to be a slug — and so as slugs they finished 

 their development. Not, however, without further 

 caprices, since, instead of filling its mouth with teeth 

 to grind its vegetable food, the Sea-hare transposes its 

 teeth into its stomach, or rather into one of its stomachs, 

 and not the one nearest the mouth, but the last of the 

 series, as it passes into the intestine ; so that after the 

 food has undergone preparatory digestion, it has to be 

 further ground by these teeth. This strange animal, 

 as harmless as a butterfly, carries a traditional terror to 

 the vulgar mind. The Eomans beheved — what would 

 they not believe! — that the mere sight of it caused 



