Life Beneath the Waves. 71 



animation by repeated applications of sea- 

 water. 



Another inhabitant of muddy ground is 

 the Sea-mouse a creature sufficiently ugly 

 and uninteresting when covered with its 

 u nativesoil,"but remarkable nevertheless for 

 its extreme brilliancy and variety of colour. 



The body of the Sea-mouse is brownish- 

 grey, its sides are thickly covered with fine 

 soft hair of the most gorgeous hues, ex- 

 quisitely glossy in appearance, and con- 

 tinually changing in tints, giving one the 

 idea of what is called a " shot silk dress." 

 Amongst this beautiful hair are rows of 

 strong bristles or spikes, which the Sea- 

 mouse withdraws and pushes out at 

 pleasure, and in all probability uses as 

 weapons of defence. 



As Mr. Wood remarks, in his " Common 



