26 



THE NAUTILUS. 



remarkable as the periodic metamorphoses of certain species belong- 

 ing to this order. Near the water's edge, when the tide is low, 

 many other interesting creatures may be seen, including the sea 

 anemones with their parti-colored crowns of tentacles; and pretty 

 plant-like forms (Corallines) whose chief representative on the New 



Jersey coast is the so-called 

 fox or squirrel-tail Sertu- 

 laria argentea Johnson. 

 To most persons this ap- 

 pears to be an ordinary sea 

 plant, but the careful stu- 

 dent knows that in each of 

 the tiny cells adorning the 

 undried specimen, dwells 

 one of the little architects 

 and builders of the whole 

 graceful structure. 



None of these creatures, 

 however, are more worthy 

 of observation or study 

 than are the native mol- 

 lusks, reference to Avhich is 

 the chief purpose of this 

 article. These dwell on 

 the entire coast in count- 

 less numbers, but they are 

 seldom exposed in quantity 

 except by southeastern 

 storms or gales which, 

 striking the beach breast 

 on, often tear up and carry 

 Fuigur canaiicuiata. large masscs of saud with 



their unfortunate occupants beyond the reach of succeeding tides. 

 It is not unusual for hundreds of tons of mollusks to be thus forced 

 from their homes and left to die of starvation and exposure. Quite 

 a number of the native species are edible. The first of these in 

 the order of demand is, of course, the oyster, Ostrea virginica ; 

 next, the hard shell clam, Venus mercenaria ; third, that precious 

 favorite of all New York aldermen, the soft shell clam, Mya aren- 

 aria. He who has not eaten a dish of these on Coney Island beach 



