228 THE WORLDS LUMBER ROOM. 



land is most healthy, instead of being covered with malaria- 

 breeding swamps." 



Much of this scavenging is no doubt accomplished, as 

 has already been said, by vegetation, and much also by the 

 various Protozoa, multitudes of which exist everywhere 

 in still water. 



But, to go on to creatures whose labours we are better 

 able to appreciate, among the most active coast-scavengers 

 must be reckoned the great army of the Crustacea, all of 

 which are flesh-eaters, from the water-flea to the lobster, and 

 all, it would seem, voracious, though some are more par- 

 ticular than others. 



The sand-hopper, for instance, will feed on almost any- 

 thing which is soft and capable of decay, and does not 

 despise a meal of seaweed; the crab will eat only fresh 

 food, and putrid bait is reserved by the fisherman for the 

 lobster, which is said to prefer its food highly seasoned. 



The thousands of little creatures, exactly like common 

 woodlice, which swarm about cliffs and piers, are vegetable 

 feeders, and will devour, according to Frank Buckland, the 

 planks of boats and eat up sails and nets if these are left 

 undisturbed for any time ; but the sea- lice eat animal food, 

 and " in the United Service Museum are some very perfect 

 skeletons of sea birds," made by them in the Arctic regions. 

 " The birds were let down into the sea to an immense 

 depth, and left there twenty-four hours ; these bones are as 

 white as ivory." 



Though they do not come under the head of crus- 

 taceans, we must here mention that tadpoles are likewise 

 good skeleton-makers, and that very perfect skeletons of 



