THE OPEN SEA BEACH 289 



thinas they cannot sink and they live in com- 

 munities a sort of pelagic life in the open sea. 

 The shells are thin and together with the entire 

 animal are a lovely violet color. At least four 

 species inhabit our waters though Janthina com- 

 munis is much the most common. 



I once made a cruise in the schooner A sa Eldridge 

 from Bradentown, Florida, to Honduras and on a 

 Sunday morning while lying at Key West I strolled 

 over to the north shore of the island. As I ap- 

 proached I saw from a short distance that it was 

 everywhere a mass of glowing violet color and 

 then I found it to be covered from below tide to 

 well out on the land with fresh Janthinas. All 

 the depressions and pot holes in the rocky shore 

 were filled, in places several feet deep. A vast 

 community or gathering of them probably ex- 

 tending for miles had stranded the night be- 

 fore on the beach. It was the most astounding 

 sight in the way of molluscan life I had ever 

 seen and when I recovered from my surprise I 

 proceeded to collect specimens. Lacking any 

 receptacle in which to put them I used my 

 handkerchief, then my new straw hat, then one 

 pocket after another of my fresh white linen 



