A POPULOUS STONE. 203 



prevent intrusion from without, we shall find in a 

 day or two that the water is swarming with living 

 creatures of various kinds, known to microscopic 

 observers as infusory animalcules. 



But I think nowhere is this economy seen to better 

 advantage now nowhere here is it more admirable than 

 in the sea, especially about the rude rocks that fringe 

 our coast, and that we are apt to think so barren and 

 repulsive. The rough stony surface of the rock 

 between tide-marks, is quite alive with beautiful and 

 interesting creatures both animal and vegetable ; and 

 as we find the profusion increase the nearer we 

 approach to that line whence the nutrient water never 

 recedes, we have a right to conclude, that it extends 

 to an indefinite distance below tide-limit. The tiny 

 pools that lie in the. hollows, renewed twice every day 

 by the influx of the sea, are perfect nurseries of plants 

 and animals of the most curious forms, and of the 

 most interesting structure. 



I will endeavour to enumerate the diverse kinds of 

 organic life that I have detected on a small fragment 

 of rock now before me. It is a bit scarcely bigger 

 than a penny-piece, which T detached the other day 

 from a little rock-pool near low-water mark on the 

 sea-ward side of Capstone Hill. One single polype 

 on it attracted my notice by its beauty ; and when I 

 applied my chisel to the fi-agment, I did not suspect 

 that it was particularly rich in animal life ; nor is it 

 richer than usual in the amount of animal life that it 

 supports, but the variety certainly struck me as 

 remarkable on so small a surface, when I came to 

 examine it. 



