348 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE chap. 



filmy red algse, interspersed with Sea-anem- 

 ones, — white, creamy, pink, yellow, purple, 

 with a coronet of blue beads, and of many 

 mixed colours ; Sponges, Corallines, Starfish, 

 Limpets, Barnacles, and other shell-fish ; 

 feathery Zoophytes and Annelides expand their 

 pink or white disks, while here and there a 

 Crab scuttles across ; little Fish or Shrimps 

 timidly come out from crevices in the rocks, 

 or from among the fronds of the sea-weeds, or 

 hastily dart from shelter to shelter; each 

 little pool is, in fact, a miniature ocean in 

 itself, and the longer one looks the more and 

 more one will see. 



The dark green and brown sea-weeds do 

 not live beyond a few — say about 15 — 

 fathoms in depth. Below them occur delicate 

 scarlet species, with Corallines and a different 

 set of shells, Sea-urchins, etc. Down to about 

 100 fathoms the animals and plants are still 

 numerous and varied. But they gradually 

 diminish in numbers, and are replaced by new 

 forms. 



To appreciate fully the extreme loveliness 

 of marine animals they must be seen alive. 



