288 THE WALKS ABROAD OF 



child, apparently very much astonished that anyone 

 should be in doubt about so simple a matter. 



Then seeing he was not able to make a good thing 

 out of it, he placed the monster in his basket and 

 went off. 



" It is a fortunate circumstance," said Leon, " that 

 the gigantic cuttle-fish, if they really exist, are so 

 well-mannered as never to let themselves be seen. 

 A mere dozen of poulpes like that described by Victor 



SEA-SNAIL (Purpura lapiUns, Lamarck). 



Hugo in the ' Travailleurs de la Mer,' would render a 

 seaside place quite uninhabitable ! " 



While speaking, the young naturalist by his own 

 example gave the signal for exploration. Close at 

 hand there began a heap of large rocks, still wet with 

 the salt water, veritable dwelling-houses for marine 

 animals, and covered by a thick mantle of green sea- 

 weed and shells of various sorts. 



In such a spot no room is wasted. On the surface 

 are mussels attached firmly by their byssus ; limpets 

 with conical shells, who manage to cling to the rock, 



