92 THE SEA-SHORE 



the same time, and is perfectly blind for the rest 

 of its life ! 



If you look down into a shallow pool, the rocky 

 sides of which are covered with these acorn 

 shells, you may often see a very pretty sight. 

 You may see the little animals fishing. Out 

 from the hole at the top of each shell comes a 

 kind of little net, which sweeps through the 

 water, and is then drawn back into the shell. 

 This net is really formed by the limbs, which 

 are fringed with long hairs, and as it passes 

 through the water it collects the little tiny 

 scraps of decaying matter on which the animal 

 feeds. 



You may find these acorn shells in great 

 numbers, not only on the rocks which are left 

 dry when the tide goes out, but also on the 

 wooden beams which support piers and jetties. 

 Indeed, these beams are often so closely covered 

 with the odd little shells that you cannot see 

 the surface of the wood at all. And very often 

 they fasten themselves to the shells of limpets 

 and oysters, and even on the backs of crabs. 



