II. 



ZOOLOGY: MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 



Amadeds W. Geabau. 



The seashore is reached readily from Boston by train, electric 

 cars, or bicycle. Most of the places described can be visited in 

 half a day, although a whole day will be found none too long for 

 those who wish to see the varied marine fauna, characteristic of the 

 different localities. All of the localities should be visited at low 

 tide, the time of wiiich can be figured out from the times of the 

 morning and evening high tide given in the daily papers. Extreme 

 low tide (announced in the Old Farmer's and other almanacs) is 

 best for all the localities, though the beaches furnish interesting 

 material even at high water. 



The Littoral and Laminarian zones are the only ones readily ac- 

 cessible, unless one is equipped with a dredge for obtaining deep- 

 water forms. Of the Littoral zone, i. e., the zone between high and 

 low water, several facies may be recognized. The following are 

 well marked on this coast: (1), the sand-beach facies; (2), the 

 mud-flat facies; (3), the stony-beach facies; (4), the rocky-cliff 

 facies ; and (5) , the bridge-pile facies. Each has its characteristic 

 fauna, and minor subdivisions may be recognized in each. The 

 Laminarian zone, to 15 fathoms, can be explored only in its tide- 

 pool facies or at extreme low water. The beaches, however, are 

 often strewn with animals from this zone, brought thither by the 

 waves during storms. Account will be taken of these zones in the 

 descriptions which follow. 



A. Sand-beach, stony-beach and mud-flat facies of the Littoral 

 zone, with cast-up representatives of the Laminarian zone. 



REVERB BEACH. 



Route. — By rail, Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn railroad (narrow 

 gauge) ; Atlantic avenue station, to Bath House station ; fare, $.10. 



(67) 



