142 MARVELS OF FISH LIFE 



how the tube-feet were stretched to their utmost 

 whilst supporting his whole weight unassisted by the 

 buoyancy of the sea. Attached to a rock near by, we 

 found a fine specimen only a few inches under the 

 surface ; my brother took off his coat and held it as a 

 shield to cut off the light from the sky above, and then 

 hanging over the edges of the rock I waited for the 

 moment when the water was slack, just between two 

 incoming waves, and obtained a photograph as shown. 



Next we collected a few specimens and carried them 

 to the shore, and placed them in a quiet rock pool. 

 In this position the urchin at once realised that he was 

 exposed to attack, and extending his tube-feet he grasped 

 the seaweed around, and pulling the leaves over him, 

 in ten minutes was out of sight. 



We also took back a specimen to photograph in the 

 tank on the following day. 



The urchin was placed on a projecting point of rock 

 to which he soon attached himself, but this position 

 was not to his liking, and in the right-hand bottom 

 corner of the dome, several tube-feet are to be seen 

 pawing the water, as the creature endeavoured to get 

 hold of something solid in order to climb down from his 

 uncomfortable perch. 



When placed in a tank devoid of seaweed, the 

 concealing instincts of the urchin made him cover 

 himself up with stones and shells in his desire to escape 

 detection. 



The urchin is edible, and I have heard that he is 



