192 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



made no attempt to escape beyond moving his 

 fins, and was transferred to a glass, and finally 

 to the aquarium, where he was kept some time. 



The doctor gave an interesting account of 

 the habits of this little creature, and pointed out 

 the marsupium or sac in which the males carry 

 the eggs until hatched. He told them of a sea- 

 horse, a wonderful mimic, with long streamers 

 like sea-weed, that had been caught in Australian 

 waters. 



Near where Harry found the sea-horse Dick 

 noticed a curious object, of a greenish tint, that 

 looked like a bird divested of its feathers. It 

 was soft, and when touched emitted a rich pur- 

 ple ink and moved two wing-like folds. Long 

 John said it was a sea-pigeon, while the doctor, 

 who had joined them, pronounced it one of the 

 shell-less inollusks an Aphysia. " In ancient 

 times," he said, "these animals were called sea- 

 rabbits " ; and certainly there was a resemblance, 

 as the Aphysia had now regained its upright 

 position and was moving about its glass prison 

 on the deck of the boat, showing a head and 

 long ear-like appendages. This patch of weed 



