ABALONES, OR SEA-EARS. 59 



how lovely must be the ocean home when it is 

 covered with water; when its plants are all grow- 

 ing, its fishes all swimming, and its creeping 

 things all creeping. 



It is true that we are not fitted to live in this 

 ocean home, and it would be a very sorry thing if 

 we should ever fall overboard and actually enter 

 it; but as we stand on the brink of the sea we can 

 look off and be glad to know that under the 

 waves there is as much beauty, and perhaps as 

 much contentment, as there is above them. 



There are several different species of Haliotis, 

 or abalone, some of which are rarely collected. 

 Those which you will find on the shore, or which 

 you will see in small collections, will probably all 

 belong to one or more of three species. The 

 name Haliotis is the Greek for *' Sea-ear," and 

 these creatures are so called because the shells 

 somewhat resemble a huge ear. 



The most common kind in southern California 

 is the Green Abalone, shown in Figure 20. The 

 outside of the shell is of a dull-gray color, but the 

 inside is of beautiful greenish pearl, shaded with 

 blue and red. The shell is rather thin, and has 

 about six open holes. A good-sized specimen is 

 six inches long. 



The Black Abalone (Figure 21) is very common 



