3 i2 SEA FABLES EXPLAINED. 



future residence, it presses itself against the wood, or what- 

 ever the substance may be, pours out from its two antennae 

 a glutinous cement, which hardens in water, and thus fastens 

 itself by the front of its head, is henceforth a fixture for 



FIG. 44. A YOUNG BARNACLE. (Larva of ChtJiamalus stellatus.) 



life, and assumes the adult form in which most persons 

 know it best.* 



* If any of my readers wish to observe the development of young 

 barnacles they may easily do so. The method I have generally 

 adopted has been as follows : Procure a shallow glass or earthenware 

 milk-pan that will hold at least a gallon. Fill this to within an inch 

 of the top with sea-water, and place it in any shaded* part of a room 

 not in front of a window. Put in the pan six or eight pebbles or clean 

 shells of equal height, say i or 2 inches, and on them lay a clean 

 sheet of glass, which, by resting on the pebbles, is brought to within 

 about 2j inches of the surface of the water. Select some limpets or 

 mussels having acorn-barnacles on them ; carefully cut out the limpet 

 or mussel, and clean nicely the interior of the shell ; then place a 

 dozen or more of these shells on the sheet of glass, and the barnacles 

 upon them will be within convenient reach of any observation with 

 a magnifying glass. If this be done in the month of March, the ex- 

 perimenter will not have to wait long before he sees young Balani 

 ejected from the summits of some of the shells. Up to the moment of 

 their birth each of them is enclosed in a little cocoon or case, in shape 

 like a canary-seed, and most of them are tossed into the world whilst 

 still enclosed in this. In a few seconds this casing is ruptured longi- 



