138 



THE NATURE BOOK 



grey, and sometimes is a fairly pure white. 

 Marked differences in this are also prob- 

 ably due to differences of climate. Im- 

 mature examples of the species are deci- 

 dedly less rufous than adults. 



The average length all over of a good 

 specimen is about 145 millimetres, while 

 the form peculiar to the island of Skomer, 

 which was first described by Mr. Drane, 

 is some 20 millimetres longer. This in- 

 crease of size in an island form is remark- 

 able, and has also been noted in some 

 island forms of the Long-tailed Field 

 Mouse. 



The pictures give a good idea of several 

 characteristic attitudes of the Red-backed 

 Meadow Mouse. He is capable of stand- 

 ing up on his hind legs, and in this position 



can make a few ill-balanced hops like 

 the Long-tailed Field IMouse. He can 

 flatten himself and squirm in short grass, 

 or even in loose soil, in such a way that he 

 himself is completely invisible, and his 

 course can only be traced by the move- 

 ment of what is above him. He burrows 

 with passionate energy, bracing his hind 

 legs against anything that he can reach, 

 and often twisting his body through three- 

 quarters of a circle so that the top of his 

 head points in almost the opposite direc- 

 tion to the top of his tail. In stiff soil 

 he flings fair-sized pellets behind him, 

 but I have not been able to determine 

 whether he cuts these with his teeth and 

 sweeps them back with his fore paws, or 

 employs his fore paws alone. 



Douglas English. 



THE LIFE OF THE SEA-SHORE 



By F. MARTIN DUNCAN, F.R.P.S. 



Illustrated with Photographs by the Author 



THE SEAWEEDS 



THERE are few situations more de- 

 lightful, or so replete with intense 

 interest, as the sea-shore, yet a 

 very small proportion of those who 

 spend their holiday by the sea realise 

 to the fullest extent its many beauties and 

 wonders. 



I wonder how many casual visitors, 

 rambling along the sea-shore on a summer 

 afternoon, realise that they are making 

 an excursion through the confines of two 

 kingdoms whose monarchs are for ever 

 striving against each other and encroach- 

 ing on each other's marches ! Yet such 

 is the case, for when we walk along the 

 sea-shore we are travelling along the 

 ever changing frontier line which sej)arates 

 the kingdom of Demctcr, Queen of the 

 Earth, from that of Neptune, Lord of the 

 Sea. As we traverse the edge of Demeter's 

 kingdom, keeping a sharp lookout, we 

 soon notice that although many of the 

 inland plants are growing down close to, 

 and even on, the shore, many of our old 



favourites of the meadow and woodland 

 are absent and their places taken by new 

 kinds — by grasses, reeds and rushes. Of 

 these plants peculiar to the region of the 

 shore and cliffs, is the Yellow-Horned 

 Po])py, with its large golden-yellow flowers 

 and wonderful horn-shaped seed-pods, that 

 measure six to twelve inches in length. 

 The fleshy-leaved, white-flowered Sam- 

 phire loves the rocks by the sea, and 

 Shakespeare, in " King Lear." has left 

 us a graphic description of the dangers 

 of the Samphire collector, who gathered 

 the plant in those days for medicinal 

 pur])oses : — 



" Half way down 

 Hangs one that gathers samphire : dreadful 



trade ! 

 Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head." 



There also on the cliffs we may find grow- 

 ing the Wild Cabbage, parent of all 

 domestic cabbages. On the sandy shores 

 grow the Purple Sea-Rocket, the Sea- 

 Kale, Sea- Holly with its beautiful, smooth, 



