THE SNOWY ANEMONE. 69 



the level of the lowest part of the margin of the pool, which 

 of course never varies, such animals and plants as require 

 to be perpetually covered with water enjoy circumstances 

 suited to their wants. In the deepest shadow, fine speci- 

 mens of the fleshy Dulse (Iridcea edulis), and the lovely 

 leaf-like Delesseria sanguined, display their crimson fronds 

 in copious tufts ; plants that cannot bear the absence of 

 water, their delicate leaves becoming orange-coloured in 

 large patches, which soon die and slough away, — if left 

 unbathed even for a single tide. The curious white Cows' 

 paps (Alcyonium digitatum), all studded with their clear 

 glassy polypes, project from the rock ; and here I saw 

 several white Actinice, which at once attracted my notice, 

 though beyond my reach, on the opposite side of the pool. 

 At length, however, by searching in another smaller pool, 

 to which I could gain access, I found, beneath the drooping 

 Oarweeds, one of the white Actinice within reach. It was 

 three or four inches beneath the surface ; so that to procure 

 it, it was needful to bale out the water to that depth, which 

 I effected by the aid of one of my collecting jars, and then 

 to cut out the animal's cell with the steel chisel. I was, 

 however, sufficiently repaid for the labour by the beauty of 

 this snow-white Anemone. 



After an absence of nearly six years, I visited this inter- 

 esting spot again. It had often been a subject of specula- 

 tion with me whether the minute features of a rocky coast 

 change rapidly under the action of weather and sea ; and I 

 had looked forward to this visit with interest, as likely to 

 afford me data for determining the question. The share 

 was as if I had left it but yesterday. Everything appeared 

 as if it had been untouched : every tide-pool, every projec- 

 tion, I recognised : the broad cleft that I have described 

 (Devonsh. Coast, p. 34) ; the little basins within it ; the 

 slight projections on the face of the cliff by means of which 



