238 LOCH CRERAN. 



leaves of a tree, only they are beautifully organised 

 marine worms from 10 or 12 fathoms. Veritable silk 

 worms in their way, for their threads are very tenacious, 

 but, like most of such marine productions, so soon as 

 they dry they become brittle, having little of a fibrous 

 nature. But for this we might some day have met with 

 a marine annelid to enable us to compete with the 

 dexterous spinners of the south and east. What a 

 delightful industry it would be to cover our shores with 

 seaweed gardens, full of busy multitudes of thread manu- 

 facturers, like a long-drawn-out Paisley ! 



Who first invented india-rubber ? What a remarkable 

 idea it was, and how clever we were to find out its use ! 

 Indeed ; you lay the flattering unction to your soul 

 that you belong to the terrestrial race of superior intelli- 

 gence because you draw it from a plant and employ it, 

 when there before our eyes in that bucket are scores of 

 manufacturers, who know its value and use it continually. 

 No paltry rubber to rot and decay for a little damp, but 

 capable of preserving all its snap and spring under the 

 trying ordeal of a continuous marine immersion. You 

 are incredulous ; but lift that Pecten and look at the hinge. 

 Ho! you try to drop it, as you have carelessly and 

 stupidly lifted it by placing your finger inside the half- 

 open valves, and they have closed with a snap that 

 enables you now to raise it with one finger. Dip the 

 whole into this cup of boiling water, and the wondrous 

 diamond eyes are extinguished for ever, and gradually 

 the strong muscle that held the valves close relaxes, and 

 you have but to wait a minute or two more and the poor 

 animal, now completely apart from the shells, comes out 

 in a contracted little blob of matter. You lift the empty 

 valves, now wide apart, and mechanically press them 



