4 THE HAUNTS OF LIFE 



where a fringing coral-reef extends far out to 

 sea. The naturalist's shore-haunt is the whole 

 of the seaweed-growing area, and we call it 

 shore, although the water may be deep enough 

 to float a navy. 



The shore-haunt is not very large compared 

 with other haunts. It occupies about nine 

 million square miles, but that is only between 

 six and seven per cent, of the sea - covered 

 surface of the globe. It is a very long area, 

 going in and out, by bay and creek, by firth 

 and fiord, for about 150,000 miles. And it is 

 a region of great diversity, differing from place 

 to place according to the geological character 

 of the shore, according to the mineral materials 

 that the streams bring down from the land, 

 and according to the jetsam that is thrown 

 up from the sea. In some places the whole 

 of the shore between tide - marks is covered 

 with a thick mass of dead seaweed, which rots 

 away and smells badly when the tide is out. 

 There are crowds of tiny creatures e.g. allies 

 of sand-hoppers working away among this 

 decaying seaweed ; but the ordinary life of the 

 shore-pools has been smothered, and explora- 

 tion in 'this kind of shore -haunt is rather an 

 acquired taste. There are shores and shores. 



