26 HALF AN HOUR WITH PREPARATIONS. 



foraminifera, &c., for your microscope, which you 

 can place in your bottle to examine another time. 

 On the fronds of these large seaweeds, also, you 

 will find several species of zoophytes attached, many 

 of which may be still alive. Pieces of these algae 

 are torn off, and immersed in one of your larger 

 bottles, so that, when you get home, you may 

 transfer your treasures to one of your bell-glasses, 

 and have the pleasure, in an hour or two, to see the 

 battered zoophytes expanding their delicate cups, as 

 if grateful for the rescue. Having arrived at the 

 headland, you see that your expectations are not 

 deceived, for here are rock-pools in plenty, and of 

 varying depth, so that you may expect good sport. 

 Bending over them, presently your eyes get ac- 

 customed to the dim light, and you are able to peer 

 into the smallest corner of the pool, and notice its 

 most inconspicuous inhabitant. The spot seems 

 like a fragment of fairyland, with its living sea-firs, 

 its delicately-tinted purple and green seaweeds, its 

 gorgeous anemones with spread tentacles, and, 

 darting here and there, the small fishes peculiar to 

 these habitats. Meantime you see the grammarus, 

 perhaps followed by its brood of young, as chickens 

 will follow the hen ; or a sly old crab is making his 

 way sidelong, his stalked eyes directed towards 

 yourself. Here is good ground for anemone hunting, 

 and having laid down your book, you set to work 

 with hammer and chisel to detach the rock on 

 which these lovely objects are attached. This is 



