INTRODUCTION. 



corallines, or knobbed with Balani and masses of Serpulce. 

 Swept from their haunts in the deep water and stranded 

 by the restless waves on the sandy beach, the shell- 

 fish—thrusting siphons or feet from their relaxing valves 

 in sickness, in search of safety or their native element — are 

 now pounced on by hooded and carrion-crows and gulls ; 

 and the vacant and gaping valves frequently attest how 

 daintily they and the cunning oyster-catchers have fed on 

 the soft inhabitants. Hosts of young sea-urchins are found 

 on the beach alive ; and the safety of the larger specimens 

 is attained by immersion in the soft debris. Occasionally a 

 bare portion of sand is speckled with numerous starfishes, from 

 the pale hues of the sand-stars to the brilliant scarlet of Solaster 

 papposus and the purples of 8. endeca and Astropecten irregu- 

 laris. Others slowly disentangle themselves from the wreck, 

 and, throwing out their sucker-feet, make active progress over 

 the tiny sand-ridges. Op)hiura lacertosa, again, often buries 

 its disk from the gaze of the sea-fowl or for moisture, leaving 

 its arms projecting. Another echinoderm, Cucumaria com- 

 munis, is plentiful, though it can scarcely be distinguished 

 in the muddy debris. Vast multitudes of the sheaths of Tere- 

 bellw lie on the sands and especially collect on the bottom of 

 the Swilken burn ; they are for the most part, but not always, 

 empty, the agitated waters having compelled these denizens 

 of the sand and gravel either to evacuate their homes in their 

 native sites or before reaching the beach ; and hence the dis- 

 proportion between the tubes and their inhabitants. Thousands 

 of the annelid Phyllodoce citrina may be scooped from the 

 sand-pools. Nereides lurk in shells, sheaths, or anywhere for 

 shelter ; sea-mice occasionally in myi-iads are indicated by their 

 splendid bristles amidst the debris ; and in the pools lie the 

 curious Opihelia limacina, the golden-bristled spoon-worm, and 

 many other rare annelids. Sessile-eyed crustaceans also 

 swarm in the pools and tide-streams ; while the larger forms 

 are represented by Eyas, the edible, shore, and hermit crabs. 

 Fishes are sometimes scarce — dead gurnards, plaice, and frog- 

 fish being the most conspicuous, though occasionally weevers, 

 sand-launces, viviparous blennies, gunnels, armed bull-heads, 

 suckers, father-lashers, and tadpole-hakes are also found. 



