THE EOLIS. 27 



" He is hidden in the mud ; we must dig out the 

 mud." 



Whereupon my companion, tucking up his sleeve, 

 phmges his hand into the mass of sand and shells, and 

 strews the handful on a boulder, where we soon find 

 the worm twistmg itself into irritated convolutions, as 

 if highly disapproving of this treatment. We pop him 

 into a phial with some sand, and he soon makes himself 

 happy there. During this capture, quick female eyes 

 have discerned, and nimble fingers have delicately 

 secured, one of the loveliest of sea charmers — an 

 Eolis, of about three-quarters of inch in length, with 

 transparent body, tapering into the most graceful of 

 tails (we must call it a tail, although anatomists call 

 it a foot), and with rows of pink papillae on its back, 

 forming the most elegant of ornaments (Plate II., fig. 1). 

 The tide may now drive in as fast as it will, we shall 

 go home rich. 



Wearied with hammering, clambering, and stooping 

 in this blazing sunlight of a summer noon, we seat 

 om'selves on a convenient boulder, for half an hour's 

 repose. My companion, whose legs are lolling in a 

 shallow pool, brings out a pocket-pistol of sherry and 

 a bag of biscuits. To this " repast we do ample justice" 

 (as detestable writers with imerring unanimity always 

 say, when they want to describe eating and drinking), 

 and then the blue lazy curl of a mild havannah rises 

 into the warm air, making contentment more content. 

 The waves are crawling over the boulders, and rushing 

 up the gullies with a soothing sound. A few white 



