SAND DUNES AND SALT MARSHES 



Ann, which goes to show not onl}^ the voracity 

 of this bird but the plentifulness of squids. 



Locomotion in the squid is generally back- 

 wards and swift by the forcible ejection of 

 water from the interior of the mantle, but the 

 animal can also propel itself forward by turn- 

 ing its siphon back, as well as by the propeller- 

 like action of the tail. When much disturbed 

 and desirous of escaping observation, it does 

 not hide its head in the sand, as does the fabled 

 ostrich, but it obscures its surroundings and 

 itself by the ejection of an inky fluid. 



The last sea-dweller to which I shall refer 

 is one that would seem to belong to the low- 

 est order of animals, or even to the group of 

 vegetables, but it is in reality at the top of 

 the invertebrate tree. I refer to the sea- 

 squirt,— that one called clavata, or '^ like to 

 a club or knotty branch." It is an orange- 

 colored wrinkled affair about the size of a 

 pullet's egg, which squirts when touched. It 

 is set on a long stem adorned with seaweed- 

 like hydroids and is attached to stones in deep 

 water. A winter's storm is generally needed 

 to tear these creatures from the bottom and 

 throw them up on the beach. The warm- 

 weather beach-combers rarely find them. The 



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