THE SCHOOL OF THE SHORE n 



among the rocks, not disdaining limpets and 

 mussels. 



Besides seals and otters there are other 

 mammals that frequent or may frequent the 

 shore. The polar bear in the Arctic regions 

 sometimes lies down beside an opening in the 

 thick ice and waits for a seal to come up to 

 breathe. With one stroke of its great arm it 

 has been known to lift the seal right out of the 

 water, and send it crashing over the ice in- 

 stantaneously killed. The walruses, also of 

 the North, dig up the bivalves with their huge 

 tusks. Along warm coasts the dugongs and 

 manatees, jointly known as sea-cows, browse 

 on the seaweeds. But we have said enough : 

 the shore-fauna includes mammals. 



BIRDS. There are many birds characteristic 

 of the shore, especially at certain seasons. We 

 think of gulls and terns, dunlins and sand- 

 pipers, curlew and whimbrel, shag and cor- 

 morant, and many others a fine account of 

 which will be found in Mr. W. P. Pycraft's 

 delightful book The Sea Shore. We can only 

 select a representative. The oyster-catcher is 

 often to be seen where there are limpets and 

 mussels in abundance. The black and white 



