102 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



mighty bounds, roaring, hissing, groaning, sigliing. We 

 stood with our backs leaning against a wall of rock, the spray 

 leaping up into our faces. At length a black mass appeared 

 upon the swelling height, to be lost again in the ridge of 

 foam, and tlien to reappear ; onwards it came, struggling with 

 the waves which tossed it and tumbled it to and fro, till we 

 descried it to be a bit of wreck. In one instant the sense 

 of the picturesque was submerged by a rush of zoological 

 expectation. We sprang down on the shore, anxiously await- 

 ing till the prize should be flung at our feet. It turned out 

 to be the bit of an old cask, which must have been long under 

 water, for it was as black as ebony, and literally covered with 

 Polypes and eggs of Eolids. You may be sure it was wel- 

 comed with jubilant shouts, as were the masses of weed 

 thrown up at the same time, also covered with Polypes and 

 ova. We departed with the feelings of men who have just 

 heard of a legacy. Next morning I found the treasures 

 greater than our expectation ; not only were there thou- 

 sands of ova, but scores of delicate and tiny Eolids of dif- 

 ferent species were found floating in the water, or crawlino- 

 among the Pol}7ies. It took hours to remove these delicate 

 creatures into sej^arate vases and bottles, and then to con- 

 template them witli hungry enthusiasm — wliich you will 

 appreciate if you have been ever fascinated by tlie study of 

 Development, and suddenly seen abundant material within 

 reach ; or, if you have been anxious to solve some prol)lem 

 which only abundant observation could help you to solve. 

 I was troubled about the respiration of the Eolis, not feel- 

 ing at all satisfied with what is taught in the schools ; and 



